On July 21, 2025, 25 countries including the United Kingdom, France, and Japan issued a joint statement calling for an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The statement expressed serious concern over the killing of more than 800 Palestinians seeking aid, attacks on civilians, and obstruction of humanitarian relief, and urged the Israeli government to fulfill its international obligations.
It also included the name of EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness, and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, reflecting the strong unity of the international community. The participating countries condemned Israel's aid framework as “dangerous and unstable,” noting it deprives the people of Gaza of their human dignity.
In response to the joint statement, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee expressed strong opposition on his X (formerly Twitter) account, calling it “offensive.” He insisted that the international community should instead focus on how Hamas has rejected all ceasefire proposals.
He further claimed that although the wording of the statement appears peaceful, it in fact places disproportionate blame on Israel, and criticized the use of “inhumane killings” as ignoring Hamas’s responsibility in the conflict.
The joint statement condemned Israel for failing to meet its responsibility for humanitarian aid in Gaza and denounced the killing of civilians who were seeking assistance. It highlighted that more than 800 civilians were killed despite calling for help, calling such actions "inhumane and unacceptable."
It also declared the proposal to relocate Gaza residents to so-called “humanitarian cities” as “completely unacceptable,” urging the international community to unite in achieving a ceasefire and end the suffering.
The Palestinian authorities in Gaza announced that Dr. Marwan al-Hams, director of Abu Youssef al-Najjar Hospital and spokesperson for the Palestinian Ministry of Health, was abducted by the Israeli military.
The Palestinian side labeled the act a clear war crime, claiming that he was attacked while en route to a field hospital as part of a medical mission. The statement called it a “cowardly act targeting one of the most important humanitarian voices,” and demanded immediate international action for his release.
The Israel Defense Forces and Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded that the statement “ignores reality” and fails to hold Hamas accountable. Israel insisted that its restrictions aim to prevent Hamas from looting aid supplies, not to block humanitarian assistance.
Meanwhile, numerous aid groups including the United Nations warned that the aid practices by the U.S.- and Israel-backed “Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF)” are unsafe and violate humanitarian standards. The foundation has been criticized for relying on private security and logistics firms, raising transparency concerns.
Amid escalating humanitarian concerns in Gaza, international pressure on Israel is expected to intensify. On the other hand, the U.S. and Israel argue that Hamas is responsible for blocking ceasefire efforts, showing little sign of compromise.
This widening gap in recognition between the two sides continues to hinder diplomatic resolution. A swift and fair solution is urgently needed to prevent further suffering among innocent civilians.
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The U.S. Ambassador to Israel criticized as “offensive” the joint statement by 25 countries calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
The statement condemns the killing of over 800 Palestinian civilians and the obstruction of humanitarian aid.
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