LONDON: The foreign ministers of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany have expressed strong support for ongoing international mediation efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and secure the release of hostages.
A joint statement said the escalation in regional tensions would undermine these efforts and said there was “too much at stake” for a truce not to be reached.
The ministers, representing some of Europe’s major powers, praised the collaborative efforts led by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar.
The statement encouraged the constructive approach adopted by the mediators thus far. “We strongly support the ongoing mediation efforts by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar to conclude the agreement for a ceasefire and the release of hostages,” the statement read.
The foreign ministers, including the UK’s James Cleverly, France’s Jean-Yves Le Drian, and Germany’s Annalena Baerbock, along with their Italian counterpart, emphasized the need for continued technical work over the coming days.
This work will focus on humanitarian provisions and specific arrangements concerning hostages and detainees. They also noted that senior officials are expected to reconvene before the end of next week with the aim of finalizing the agreement.
The statement stressed the critical importance of avoiding any actions that could escalate the situation further. “We urge all parties to continue to engage positively and flexibly in this process. We underline the importance of avoiding any escalatory action in the region which would undermine the prospect of peace. There is too much at stake,” it added.
Despite these diplomatic efforts, Hamas officials rejected new conditions proposed by US-led mediators during recent talks in Qatar. The negotiations, which have been ongoing for more than 10 months, have yet to alleviate the severe suffering experienced by Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
Nevertheless, US President Joe Biden, reflecting on the latest round of talks, remained optimistic, asserting that “we are closer than we have ever been” to a resolution.
