G7 backs Israel's right to self-defence, pushes for pauses to assist civilians

Tokyo, November 8

Top diplomats from the Group of Seven leading industrial democracies announced a unified stance on the Israel-Hamas war on Wednesday after intensive meetings in Tokyo, condemning Hamas, supporting Israel’s right to self-defense and calling for “humanitarian pauses” to speed aid to desperate civilians in the Gaza Strip.

Gazans fleeing south

As the G7 diplomats met in downtown Tokyo, a UN agency said thousands of Palestinians in Gaza were fleeing south on foot with only what they could carry after running out of food and water in the north.

In a statement following two days of talks, the nations sought to balance unequivocal criticism of Hamas’ attacks against Israel and “the need for urgent action” to help civilians in the besieged Palestinian enclave.

Allow unhindered aid

All parties must allow unimpeded humanitarian support for civilians, including food, water, medical care, fuel and shelter, and access for humanitarian workers. — G7 Foreign Ministers’ statement

“All parties must allow unimpeded humanitarian support for civilians, including food, water, medical care, fuel and shelter, and access for humanitarian workers,” said the statement, hammered out by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and foreign ministers from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and Italy.

“We support humanitarian pauses and corridors to facilitate urgently needed assistance, civilian movement and the release of hostages.” The G7 meeting was, in part, an attempt to contain the worsening humanitarian crisis while also keeping broader differences on Gaza from deepening. It came “at a very intense time for our countries and for the world,” Blinken said in remarks to reporters, adding that “G7 unity is stronger and more important than ever”.

The ministers noted that the G7 is “working intensively to prevent the conflict from escalating further and spreading more widely,” and also using sanctions and other measures “to deny Hamas the ability to raise and use funds to carry out atrocities”.

They also condemned “the rise in extremist settler violence committed against Palestinians,” which they said was “unacceptable, undermines security in the West Bank, and threatens prospects for a lasting peace.” As the diplomats met in downtown Tokyo, a UN agency said thousands of Palestinians in Gaza were fleeing south on foot with only what they could carry after running out of food and water in the north. Israel said its troops were battling Hamas militants deep inside Gaza City, which was home to some 6,50,000 people before the war and where the Israel military says Hamas has its central command and a vast labyrinth of tunnels. Besides the monthlong conflict in Gaza, the G7 envoys dealt with a flurry of other crises, including Russia’s war in Ukraine, North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes and China’s growing aggression in territorial disputes with its neighbours. Blinken arrived in Tokyo from Turkey, the last stop on a four-day whirlwind tour of West Asia that began with visits to Israel, Jordan, the West Bank, Cyprus and Iraq. From Japan, he will travel to South Korea and then on to India. — AP