Joint warning against Israel’s Gaza offensive
Germany and other states warn Israel against launching offensive in Gaza City. The UN Security Council will be discussing the issue today in an emergency session.
Berlin (d.de) – In a joint statement, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, New Zealand and Australia have warned of the consequences of the planned seizure of Gaza City by Israel. They say such an offensive would aggravate the catastrophic humanitarian situation, endanger the lives of the hostages and further risk the mass displacement of civilians.
The five states demand that the militant Islamist Hamas group release all hostages without delay and that it be demilitarised. The Israeli security cabinet had approved the offensive in the early hours of Friday morning. The UN Security Council will be discussing the issue today in an emergency session. UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the step would compound the unimaginable suffering of the civilian population in Gaza.