In response to the statement from G7 Foreign Ministers today, Oxfam Italy’s Humanitarian Policy Advisor, Paolo Pezzati, said:

“The G7’s calls for Israel to halt its planned offensive in Rafah, a permanent and sustainable ceasefire in Gaza, urgent access of lifesaving aid and the release of all hostages is welcomed, but it must not be more words without actions.

“Since the same Foreign Ministers called in February for the catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza to be urgently addressed, there has been little, if any, improvement in aid access with famine now imminent.

“The G7’s collective failure to turn their words into meaningful action has allowed Israel to continue its offensive of death and destruction with impunity.

“While de-escalation is urgently needed in the region, it must not distract from the urgent need for an immediate, permanent ceasefire both to end the suffering now and to end the cycle of violence. A lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians alike can only happen if the root causes of the conflict ―the blockade and more than half a century of occupation― are addressed with courage and a long-term vision”.