UK, Germany, France call for immediate ceasefire in Gaza
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
France, Germany and UK press Israel over Gaza aid to end ‘humanitarian catastrophe’
The leaders of France, Germany and the United Kingdom demanded Israel allow unrestricted aid into Gaza to end a “humanitarian catastrophe” The joint statement was issued after a call between French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The leaders said they “stand ready to take further action to support an immediate ceasefire and a political process that leads to lasting security and peace for Israelis, Palestinians and the entire region,” but did not say what that action might be. All three support a Palestinian state in principle, but Germany said it has no immediate plans to follow France’s step, which Macron plans to formalise at the United Nations General Assembly in September.Britain has long supported the idea of an independent Palestinian state existing alongside Israel, but has said recognition should come as part of a negotiated two-state solution to the conflict. There had been no substantive Israel-Palestinian negotiations for years even before the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel that sparked the current war.
The joint statement, issued after a call between Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called for an immediate ceasefire and said that “withholding essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable,” though it broke no new diplomatic ground.
The leaders said they “stand ready to take further action to support an immediate ceasefire and a political process that leads to lasting security and peace for Israelis, Palestinians and the entire region,” but did not say what that action might be.
From left, Emmanuel Macron, Friedrich Merz and Keir Starmer meet on the sidelines of the NATO’s Heads of State and Government summit in The Hague, 24 June, 2025 (From left, Emmanuel Macron, Friedrich Merz and Keir Starmer meet on the sidelines of the NATO’s Heads of State and Government summit in The Hague, 24 June, 2025)
Exposing European divisions
Macron’s surprise announcement on Thursday exposed differences among the European allies, known as the E3, over how to ease the worsening humanitarian crisis and end the Israel-Hamas war.
All three support a Palestinian state in principle, but Germany said it has no immediate plans to follow France’s step, which Macron plans to formalise at the United Nations General Assembly in September.
Britain has not followed suit either, but Starmer is under mounting pressure to formally recognise Palestinian statehood, both from opposition lawmakers and from members of his own Labour Party government.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting on Tuesday called for an announcement “while there’s still a state of Palestine left to recognise.”
Palestinians carry sacks and boxes of food and humanitarian aid unloaded from a World Food Programme convoy that had been heading to Gaza City, 16 June, 2025 (Palestinians carry sacks and boxes of food and humanitarian aid unloaded from a World Food Programme convoy that had been heading to Gaza City, 16 June, 2025)
On Friday, 221 of the 650 lawmakers in the House of Commons signed a letter urging Starmer to recognise a Palestinian state.
“Since 1980 we have backed a two-state solution. Such a recognition would give that position substance,” said the letter, signed by legislators from several government and opposition parties.
After the E3 call on Friday, Starmer condemned “the continued captivity of hostages, the starvation and denial of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, the increasing violence from extremist settler groups, and Israel’s disproportionate military escalation in Gaza.”
He said that “recognition of a Palestinian state” must be one of the steps on a pathway to peace.
“I am unequivocal about that. But it must be part of a wider plan which ultimately results in a two-state solution and lasting security for Palestinians and Israelis,” he said.
An Israeli soldier stands beside humanitarian aid packages awaiting pickup on the Palestinian side of the Kerem Shalom crossing in the Gaza Strip, 24 July, 2025 (An Israeli soldier stands beside humanitarian aid packages awaiting pickup on the Palestinian side of the Kerem Shalom crossing in the Gaza Strip, 24 July, 2025)
More than 140 countries recognise a Palestinian state, including a dozen in Europe. But France is the first G7 country and the largest European nation to take that step.
Israel and the United States both denounced France’s decision.
Britain has long supported the idea of an independent Palestinian state existing alongside Israel, but has said recognition should come as part of a negotiated two-state solution to the conflict.
Any such solution appears far off. There had been no substantive Israel-Palestinian negotiations for years even before the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel that sparked the current war.
Humanitarian crisis alarms Israel’s allies
The worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where hunger is spreading and children have starved to death, has caused alarm even among Israel’s closest allies.
Germany has traditionally been a particularly staunch ally of Israel in Europe, with relations rooted in the history of the Holocaust.
It says recognising a Palestinian state should be “one of the concluding steps” in negotiating a two-state solution and it “does not plan to recognise a Palestinian state in the short term.”
But Berlin, too, has sharpened its tone recently, describing the Israeli military’s actions in Gaza as unacceptable and pushing for greater humanitarian aid, but still appears to favour trying to influence Israeli officials by direct contact.
People attend a rally calling for the end of the war and the immediate release of hostages held by Hamas in Tel Aviv, 24 July, 2025 (People attend a rally calling for the end of the war and the immediate release of hostages held by Hamas in Tel Aviv, 24 July, 2025)
The German government said in a statement on Friday that it is in a “constant exchange” with the Israeli government and other partners on issues that include a ceasefire in Gaza and the need to drastically improve humanitarian aid.
It said it is “prepared to increase the pressure” if there is no progress, but didn’t elaborate on how.
Britain has halted some arms sales to Israel, suspended free trade talks and sanctions far-right government ministers, but Starmer is under intense pressure to do more.
UK, France and Germany say Gaza ‘humanitarian catastrophe must end now’
Leaders of Britain, France and Germany demand Israel allow unrestricted aid into Gaza. French President Emmanuel Macron announced his country would become the first major Western power to recognise a Palestinian state. The leaders said they “stand ready to take further action to support an immediate ceasefire and a political process that leads to lasting security and peace for Israelis, Palestinians and the entire region” But they did not say what that action might be. Britain has long supported the idea of an independent Palestinian state existing alongside Israel, but has said recognition should come as part of a negotiated two-state solution to the conflict. Germany said it has no immediate plans to follow France’s step, which Macron plans to formalise at the U.N. General Assembly in September. But France is the first Group of Seven country and the largest European nation to take that step. The European Union has not followed suit either, but is under mounting pressure to formally recognise Palestinian statehood, both from opposition lawmakers and from members of his own Labour Party government.
The leaders of Britain, France and Germany demanded Israel allow unrestricted aid into Gaza to end a “humanitarian catastrophe”, after French President Emmanuel Macron announced that his country would become the first major Western power to recognise a Palestinian state.
The joint statement, issued after a call between Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, called for an immediate ceasefire and said that “withholding essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable”, though it broke no new diplomatic ground.
The leaders said they “stand ready to take further action to support an immediate ceasefire and a political process that leads to lasting security and peace for Israelis, Palestinians and the entire region”, but did not say what that action might be.
Macron’s surprise announcement exposed differences among the European allies, known as the E3, over how to ease the worsening humanitarian crisis and end the Israel-Gaza war.
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All three support a Palestinian state in principle, but Germany said it has no immediate plans to follow France’s step, which Macron plans to formalise at the United Nations General Assembly in September.
Hidaya, a 31-year-old Palestinian mother, cradles her sick 18-month-old son Mohammed al-Mutawaq, who is also displaying signs of malnutrition, inside their tent at the Al-Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City, on July 24, 2025. Photo: AFP
Britain has not followed suit either, but Starmer is under mounting pressure to formally recognise Palestinian statehood, both from opposition lawmakers and from members of his own Labour Party government.
UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting on Tuesday called for an announcement “while there’s still a state of Palestine left to recognise”.
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On Friday, 221 of the 650 lawmakers in the House of Commons signed a letter urging Starmer to recognise a Palestinian state.
“Since 1980 we have backed a two-state solution. Such a recognition would give that position substance,” said the letter, signed by legislators from several government and opposition parties.
After the E3 call on Friday, Starmer condemned “the continued captivity of hostages, the starvation and denial of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, the increasing violence from extremist settler groups, and Israel’s disproportionate military escalation in Gaza”.
He said that “recognition of a Palestinian state” must be one of the steps on a pathway to peace.
“I am unequivocal about that. But it must be part of a wider plan which ultimately results in a two-state solution and lasting security for Palestinians and Israelis,” he said.
More than 140 countries recognise a Palestinian state, including a dozen in Europe. But France is the first Group of Seven country and the largest European nation to take that step.
Palestinians pile onto an aid truck returning to Gaza City from the northern Gaza Strip on Tuesday. Photo: AP
Britain has long supported the idea of an independent Palestinian state existing alongside Israel, but has said recognition should come as part of a negotiated two-state solution to the conflict.
Any such solution appears far off. There had been no substantive Israel-Palestinian negotiations for years even before the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and sparked the current war.
The worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where hunger is spreading and children have starved to death, has caused alarm even among Israel’s closest allies.
Germany has traditionally been a particularly staunch ally of Israel in Europe, with relations rooted in the history of the Holocaust.
It says recognising a Palestinian state should be “one of the concluding steps” in negotiating a two-state solution and it “does not plan to recognise a Palestinian state in the short term.”
But Berlin, too, has sharpened its tone recently, describing the Israeli military’s actions in Gaza as unacceptable and pushing for greater humanitarian aid, but still appears to be trying to influence Israeli officials by direct contact.
The German government said in a statement on Friday that it is in a “constant exchange” with the Israeli government and other partners on issues that include a ceasefire in Gaza and the need to drastically improve humanitarian aid.
Protesters gather in Paris on Friday in support of the Palestinian people and against Israel’s actions and the ongoing food shortages in the Gaza Strip. Photo: AFP
It said it is “prepared to increase the pressure” if there is no progress, but did not elaborate on how.
Britain has halted some arms sales to Israel, suspended free trade talks and sanctioned far-right government ministers and extremist settlers, but Starmer is under intense pressure to do more.
Also weighing on Starmer is his desire to maintain good relations with the US administration, which has strongly criticised France’s decision. The British leader is due to meet US President Donald Trump in the next few days while the president is in Scotland visiting two golf courses he owns there.
Yossi Mekelberg, a Middle East expert at the international affairs think-tank Chatham House, said Macron’s decision to defer finalising recognition until September “creates some space” for other countries to get on board.
“We know that the UK is close, but not there,” he said. “This might encourage Starmer, who we know is not one to rush such a decision … This might create some momentum, some dynamic, for the UK.”
France, UK, Germany call for immediate Gaza ceasefire, reject Israeli annexation
Macron, Starmer and Merz issued a joint declaration after a tripartite phone call. They emphasized that a negotiated truce is “the best chance to bring the hostages home” The statement described the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza as unacceptable. The leaders said the withdrawal of Israeli forces and the removal of Hamas leadership are essential steps toward achieving a sustainable political resolution. The call came a day after President Macron announced France’s intention to formally recognize the State of Palestine. in a joint statement urging an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
Macron, Starmer and Merz issued a joint declaration after a tripartite phone call.
PARIS/BERLIN, July 25 (Xinhua) — French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz issued a joint declaration on Friday urging an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the unconditional release of all hostages, and the lifting of restrictions on humanitarian aid.
“The time has come to end the war in Gaza,” the leaders said in a statement following a tripartite phone call. They emphasized that a negotiated truce is “the best chance to bring the hostages home, end the anguish of their families, and finally bring relief to the civilian population in Gaza.”
The statement described the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza as unacceptable and called for urgent action to meet the population’s most basic needs, including access to food and water. “Withholding essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable,” the leaders said, calling on Israel to immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid and to allow the United Nations and humanitarian NGOs to operate without obstruction.
“Israel must uphold its obligations under international humanitarian law,” the statement underlined.
This photo shows a damaged building after an Israeli airstrike in the Tel al-Hawa area, Gaza City, July 23, 2025. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)
The three leaders also voiced strong opposition to any efforts to impose Israeli sovereignty over the Occupied Palestinian Territories. They warned that threats of annexation, settlement expansion, and acts of settler violence against Palestinians severely undermine the prospects for a negotiated two-state solution.
Looking ahead, the statement stressed that Hamas must be disarmed and excluded from any future governance of Gaza. The leaders said the withdrawal of Israeli forces and the removal of Hamas leadership are essential steps toward achieving a sustainable political resolution.
France, Britain and Germany pledged to work with international partners on a specific and credible plan for the next phase in Gaza. This plan, they said, would focus on enabling the large-scale delivery of humanitarian aid, restoring stability, and laying the groundwork for renewed political dialogue.
The call came a day after President Macron announced France’s intention to formally recognize the State of Palestine. German Chancellor Merz, while also describing the situation in Gaza as “unacceptable,” said Germany had no immediate plans to do the same.
France, UK, Germany call for “immediate end” to war in Gaza
France, the United Kingdom, and Germany call for an “immediate end to the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza’ The statement followed a call between French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. It urged “Israel” to allow essential humanitarian assistance into Gaza and condemned the ongoing deprivation of aid to the civilian population as “unacceptable” The leaders expressed readiness to “take further action to support an immediate ceasefire and a political process that leads to lasting security and peace,” though they did not specify what actions might follow.
The statement followed a call between French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. It urged “Israel” to allow essential humanitarian assistance into Gaza and condemned the ongoing deprivation of aid to the civilian population as “unacceptable.”
The leaders expressed readiness to “take further action to support an immediate ceasefire and a political process that leads to lasting security and peace for “Israelis”, Palestinians, and the entire region,” though they did not specify what actions might follow.
The announcement came just a day after Macron said France would formally recognize the State of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly in September, making it the first major Western power to do so.
His move has exposed growing divisions within the European trio, commonly known as the E3, over how to address the humanitarian disaster.
While all three countries support a two-state solution in principle, both the UK and Germany have stopped short of following France’s lead. Germany reiterated it has no immediate plans to recognize a Palestinian state, while Prime Minister Starmer faces growing domestic pressure to do so.
Earlier this week, UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting warned recognition should happen “while there’s still a state of Palestine left to recognize.” By Friday, 221 of the 650 members of the British House of Commons had signed a letter urging Starmer to recognize Palestinian statehood.
“Since 1980, we have backed a two-state solution. Such a recognition would give that position substance,” the letter stated.
Following the E3 call, Starmer condemned “the continued captivity of hostages, the starvation and denial of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, the increasing violence from extremist settler groups, and Israel’s disproportionate military escalation in Gaza.” He emphasized that recognizing a Palestinian state should be part of a broader pathway toward lasting peace.
More than 140 countries around the world currently recognize a Palestinian state, including several in Europe. France is now set to become the first G7 member to formally take that step.
“Israel” and the United States have both condemned France’s decision.
Britain, while maintaining support for a Palestinian state, insists that recognition should come through a negotiated peace process, something that has remained elusive for years.
UK, France, Germany urge Israel to lift Gaza aid blockade, agree on ceasefire call
Leaders of UK, France, and Germany on Friday jointly called for an immediate end to the war in Gaza. They urged Israel to lift restrictions on humanitarian aid and uphold international law. Gaza’s Health Ministry reported nine additional starvation-related deaths, bringing the total to 122. Since May 27, the United Nations has recorded over 1,000 Palestinians killed while trying to access food, a figure highlighted by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a speech to Amnesty International’s Global Assembly. Of the 251 hostages taken during the assault, 49 remain in Gaza, including 49 who are presumed dead, including 20 who are believed to have been killed in the cross-border attack by Israel. The Gaza Strip has been under an aid blockade since March, which Israel partially eased two months later. However, international agencies report that the distribution of supplies remains limited, especially after Israel sidelined the UN-led aid coordination system. More than 100 humanitarian and rights organizations warned this week that “mass starvation” is spreading across Gaza.
Leaders of UK, France, and Germany on Friday jointly called for an immediate end to the war in Gaza, urging Israel to lift restrictions on humanitarian aid and uphold international law.
In a joint statement released by the German government, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasized that the most basic needs of Gaza’s civilian population—such as access to food and water—must be met without delay.
European leaders urge Israel to restore aid access
“We call on the Israeli government to immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid and urgently allow the UN and humanitarian NGOs to carry out their work in order to take action against starvation,” the statement read. It also condemned the withholding of humanitarian assistance as “unacceptable,” stressing Israel’s obligation to comply with international humanitarian law.
The Gaza Strip has been under an aid blockade since March, which Israel partially eased two months later. However, international agencies report that the distribution of supplies remains limited, especially after Israel sidelined the UN-led aid coordination system.
Israeli navy vessels and speedboats are seen off the coast of Ashdod in Israel, June 9, 2025. (AA Photo)
Call for political resolution to bring lasting peace
The statement concluded their joint statement by urging all parties to reach an immediate ceasefire and commit to a political process that can ensure long-term peace and security for both Palestinians and Israelis.
“We stand ready to take further action to support an immediate ceasefire and a political process that leads to lasting security and peace for Israelis, Palestinians and the entire region,” they said.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Starmer announced that he held an emergency call with President Macron and Chancellor Merz to discuss the ongoing crisis and the need for coordinated international response.
A Palestinian woman carries a bag of aid on hear head as she makes her in the Mawasi area of Rafah on July 24, 2025. (AFP Photo)
UN warns of famine as aid seekers die in Gaza
More than 100 humanitarian and rights organizations warned this week that “mass starvation” is spreading across Gaza. The World Health Organization has described the crisis as “man-made.”
Since May 27, the United Nations has recorded over 1,000 Palestinians killed while trying to access food, a figure highlighted by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a speech to Amnesty International’s Global Assembly on Friday.
“Let me repeat: 1,000 people—killed not in combat, but in desperation—while the entire population starves,” Guterres said, adding that “words don’t feed hungry children.” He urged immediate and permanent ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages, and unrestricted humanitarian access.
Over the past 24 hours, Gaza’s Health Ministry reported nine additional starvation-related deaths, bringing the total to 122. Separately, the UN confirmed that at least 294 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since June 30 while seeking humanitarian aid.
Charitable organizations distribute hot meals to Palestinians in Nuseirat refugee camp, who are struggling with hunger due to Israels attacks on Gaza and closed borders in Deir al-Balah, Gaza, June 02, 2025. (AA Photo)
UN chief calls crisis a moral failure
Guterres warned that the situation in Gaza has escalated beyond a humanitarian disaster and now constitutes a “moral crisis” that tests the global conscience. In his virtual address, he condemned “the relentless Israeli onslaught on Gaza” and noted that the level of destruction is without precedent in recent times.
“The scale and scope are beyond anything we have seen in recent times,” he said, expressing frustration over what he described as widespread international indifference.
According to Guterres, even UN personnel in the field report feeling “neither dead nor alive,” while children express a wish to “go to heaven because, at least, there is food there.”
U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres arrives at the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, Oct. 24, 2024. (AFP Photo)
Death toll continues to rise in Gaza
As of Friday, Gaza’s Health Ministry reported 59,676 Palestinians killed since Israel launched its military campaign following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 cross-border attack, which resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people in Israel, most of them civilians, according to official figures.
Of the 251 hostages taken during the Hamas assault, 49 remain in Gaza, including 27 who are presumed dead, according to the Israeli military.
In November 2023, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, citing alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Gaza. Separately, Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice.