France, UK, Germany call for immediate Gaza ceasefire, reject Israeli annexation

Macron, Starmer and Merz issued a joint declaration after a tripartite phone call.

PARIS/BERLIN, July 25 (Xinhua) -- French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz issued a joint declaration on Friday urging an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the unconditional release of all hostages, and the lifting of restrictions on humanitarian aid.

"The time has come to end the war in Gaza," the leaders said in a statement following a tripartite phone call. They emphasized that a negotiated truce is "the best chance to bring the hostages home, end the anguish of their families, and finally bring relief to the civilian population in Gaza."

The statement described the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza as unacceptable and called for urgent action to meet the population's most basic needs, including access to food and water. "Withholding essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable," the leaders said, calling on Israel to immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid and to allow the United Nations and humanitarian NGOs to operate without obstruction.

"Israel must uphold its obligations under international humanitarian law," the statement underlined.

The three leaders also voiced strong opposition to any efforts to impose Israeli sovereignty over the Occupied Palestinian Territories. They warned that threats of annexation, settlement expansion, and acts of settler violence against Palestinians severely undermine the prospects for a negotiated two-state solution.

Looking ahead, the statement stressed that Hamas must be disarmed and excluded from any future governance of Gaza. The leaders said the withdrawal of Israeli forces and the removal of Hamas leadership are essential steps toward achieving a sustainable political resolution.

France, Britain and Germany pledged to work with international partners on a specific and credible plan for the next phase in Gaza. This plan, they said, would focus on enabling the large-scale delivery of humanitarian aid, restoring stability, and laying the groundwork for renewed political dialogue.

The call came a day after President Macron announced France's intention to formally recognize the State of Palestine. German Chancellor Merz, while also describing the situation in Gaza as "unacceptable," said Germany had no immediate plans to do the same.