Germany, France and the United Kingdom say "it's time" to end the war in Gaza

GermanChancellor Friedrich Merz, FrenchPresident Emmanuel Macron, and BritishPrime Minister Keir Starmer issued a joint communiqué this Friday stating that "the time has come to end the war in Gaza. "

"A negotiated ceasefire is the best option to bring the hostages home, put an end to the anguish of their families and reassure the civilian population in Gaza," the three E3 leaders said in their statement, urging Hamas to release all hostagesleft to it.

Merz, Starmer and Macron have warned Hamas that disarmament is "necessary" and that "it must have no role in the future of Gaza."

With regard to Israel, the E3 leaders have called for "the immediate removal of obstacles to the flow of aid so that the UN and humanitarian NGOs can act as soon as possible to combat famine" and thus fulfil their "obligations under international humanitarian law".

"We oppose any attempt to impose Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territories, "the European leaders added." Threats of annexation to the Palestinians, settlements and violence by settlers undermine the prospects for a negotiated two-state solution, "they said, urging the Israeli army to withdraw from the areas it occupies in Gaza .

"We are ready to take further steps to support an immediate ceasefire and a political process that will bring security and lasting peace to the Israelis, the Palestinians and the entire region," they concluded.

Guterres does not understand the world's "degree of indifference and immobility" 

The announcement by the three leaders comes hours after UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterressaid that itis impossible to explain "the degree of indifference and immobility we see in too many actors in the international community," while the destruction that is taking place in Gaza "goes beyond anything we have seen in modern times."

In a message sent to the UN meeting of Amnesty International, Guterres said he did not understand the "lack of compassion, truth and humanity" that reflects this passivity of the international community in Gaza.

"We are hearing that they prefer children to go to heaven because at least they will have something to eat there," the Secretary-General explained.

"Our heroes' peers continue to work in unthinkable conditions. Some of them are so exhausted, so hurt, they don't feel alive or dead. There are videoconferences (we see them) where they exhaust themselves before our eyes."

"It's not just a humanitarian crisis: it's a moral crisis that questions the global consciousness itself, "Guterres stressed, claiming his right to talk about it" whenever it's an opportunity, "though he acknowledged that words do not feed" hungry children. "

Guterres has often spoken of the war in Gaza and the abuses of Israel to the point of enmity with the Hebrew government. Israel has cut off communications not only with Guterres, but with many United Nations agencies, accusing them of partiality and systematic alignment against Israel.