An urgent trilateral discussion involving Paris, London, and Berlin is scheduled for Friday to address the “indefensible suffering and hunger” in Gaza. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Thursday that the “humanitarian catastrophe” in the region demands immediate action.
Leaders to Discuss Immediate Action and Future Peace
“Tomorrow (Friday) I will hold an urgent call with the E3 partners (France, Germany, Britain) during which we will discuss what we can do as urgently as possible to stop the massacres and provide the population with the food it desperately needs,” Starmer said in a statement. He added that a future ceasefire in Gaza would lay the groundwork for the recognition of a Palestinian state.
The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, stated on Thursday that “a large part of the population in the Gaza Strip is dying of hunger.” He elaborated to journalists in Geneva: “I don’t know what else you could call it other than people dying en masse from hunger, and it’s artificially induced. That’s very clear, and it’s because of the blockade” imposed by Israel.
Stalled Truce Talks and Escalating Crisis
Negotiations for a Gaza truce have remained stalemated, with American and Israeli negotiators withdrawing on Thursday in response to Hamas’s latest proposal.
Israel launched its campaign in Gaza in response to the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas, which is designated a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union. According to Israeli data, approximately 1,200 people were killed in that attack, and 251 hostages were taken to Gaza. Of the 251 people abducted that day, 49 remain hostages in Gaza, and the army has declared 27 of them dead.
The Israeli offensive has claimed the lives of 59,219 people in Gaza, predominantly civilians, according to data from the Hamas-run Ministry of Health, which the United Nations considers reliable, AFP reports.
