The G7 foreign ministers said on Monday that “actions” and “counter-reactions” threaten to spread the conflict in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon to the entire Middle East region, especially after the latest Israeli bombings against the Lebanese Shiite party-militia Hezbollah, which have left nearly 500 dead in one day, and the subsequent increase in attacks by the Islamist group against Israeli territory.
“(Members) have noted with deep concern the trend of escalating violence in the Middle East and its impact on regional stability and on the lives of civilians devastated by this conflict, from the Gaza Strip to the Lebanese-Israeli Blue Line. Actions and counter-actions risk magnifying this dangerous spiral of violence and dragging the entire Middle East into a broader regional conflict with unimaginable consequences,” reads a G7 statement released by Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who holds the presidency of the forum.
The G7 has considered that no country in the region will benefit from further escalation, and has therefore urged an end to the “current destructive cycle”, after which they have praised the work of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in its role as “essential stabilizer”.
They have reiterated their condemnation of the “horrendous attacks” by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) on October 7, which left 1,200 dead and more than 240 hostages, and have called for the release of the 101 kidnapped people who remain captive in the Strip.
They have also urged respect for international law and international humanitarian law and for the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions to reduce current tensions and have shown their “firm support” for the mediation efforts of the United States, Egypt and Qatar in order to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza.
They have also reaffirmed their commitment to a two-state solution that includes the Gaza Strip and the West Bank “unified” under the Palestinian Authority, although they have stressed that recognition must be mutual and “at the appropriate time.”
This is why they have expressed concern about the risk of “weakening” the Palestinian Authority due to instability and insecurity in the West Bank, both due to the increase in violence by Israeli settlers and the expansion of settlements and the deterioration of the security situation marked by the increase in Israeli operations.
“They expressed their deep alarm at the heavy toll this conflict has taken on civilians, deploring all losses of civilian life and noting with grave concern that, after nearly a year of hostilities and regional instability, it is largely civilians, including women and children, who are paying the highest price. The protection of civilians must be an absolute priority for all parties at all times,” they added.
The G7 members also expressed concern about the “unprecedented” levels of food insecurity in the Strip, calling for “full, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access in all its forms and through all relevant border points” and for the protection of humanitarian workers to be guaranteed, highlighting the “crucial role” of both the UN and its agencies and other humanitarian actors.
You may also like:
