What happened
Foreign ministers from 28 countries, including Australia, France, Japan and the U.K., released a joint statement Monday condemning Israel's ongoing attacks on Palestinian targets in Gaza and its "inhumane killing of civilians."
The "suffering" of the population in the densely occupied territory has "reached new depths," said the statement. It also called for the "immediate and unconditional" release of Israeli hostages in Gaza.
Who said what
The declaration is "notable for its candor" and reflects both "Western frustration at Israeli intransigence" and the "growing political pressure" to act that "many governments are feeling," said James Landale at the BBC. A "key paragraph" of the statement says signatories "support a ceasefire and political pathway to security and peace" in what is "code for recognizing a state of Palestine" — something many of the countries have done but "not all." In particular, the statement criticizes Israel's "tightly controlled aid distribution method," accusing the Israeli government of "drip feeding" aid into the beleaguered Gaza Strip, said CBS News. While both Israel and the U.S. have dismissed the international declaration, "key mediator Egypt, however, endorsed the message," said Le Monde.
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What next?
Despite "international outcry" and "mounting demands" for an immediate ceasefire, there's little to suggest any "imminent breakthrough in ongoing negotiations for a truce," said CBS. Monday's statement was released one day after Israel "said it was again expanding its ground war in Gaza."
