October 23, 2023—Leaders from six Western countries released a joint statement yesterday that supports Israel’s war but urges the leaders to protect civilians. The leaders are U.S. President Joe Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
“The leaders reiterated their support for Israel and its right to defend itself against terrorism and called for adherence to international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians,” the statement said.
It appears the announcement about the statement is the statement itself. It comes a day after global leaders met at a Cairo Summit hosted by Egypt, where many regional leaders accused the West of turning a blind eye to Israel’s assault on civilians. It also comes several days after the United States vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that would have provided legal international support for the return of hostages and safe humanitarian corridors.
Continue Talks For Aid
The leaders also called for immediate release of the roughly 200 hostages held by Hamas.
According to the statement released by the White House, leaders said they would “continue coordinating with partners in the region to ensure sustained and safe access” to food, water, medical care, and other assistance. It did not specifically name fuel, which Gazan hospitals need.
Meanwhile, another convoy of aid entered Gaza, as Israel continued to bomb. The death toll in Gaza reached 5,000, 40 percent of which are children, according to reporting by Qatari-run Al Jazeera. The United States is reportedly urging Israel to delay its ground invasion.
In a separate statement, Biden said he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu affirmed critical assistance will start continually flowing into Gaza. Even as they promised a flow of aid, the flow of bombs intensified.
According to reporting by Reuters today, “Israel pounded hundreds of targets in Gaza from the air on Monday while its soldiers also fought Hamas militants during raids into the besieged Palestinian enclave where deaths are soaring and civilians are trapped in harrowing conditions.”
