Foreign ministers from G7 countries will discuss strategies to de-escalate the war in Gaza following several weeks of Israeli bombardment in response to the October 7 attack by Hamas.
Israeli officials report that the offensive by Palestinian militants has resulted in the deaths of 1,400 individuals, predominantly civilians. Contrasting these figures, the Palestinian health ministry, under Hamas control, claims that Israeli air strikes have killed over 10,000 people, including at least 4,000 children.
The United States, Israel's main ally, has upheld Israel's right to counter the Hamas attack, so far only advocating for a cessation of hostilities. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, during a recent visit to Turkey, emphasized America's commitment to bolstering aid for Gaza's besieged civilian population.
In last month's UN General Assembly vote for an immediate "humanitarian truce" in Gaza, France stood alone among the G7 in its support, with the United States opposing the resolution and other members, including Japan, the UK, Italy, Germany, and Canada, abstaining.
The agenda for the Tokyo summit also includes the conflict in Ukraine. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba is expected to join the G7 discussions via video link, as the group considers the global response to the war.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, launching the largest military campaign in Europe since World War II.
Tuesday is day 622 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
(jh/gs)
Source: PAP
