Western Nations Urge Israel to Comply with International Law in Gaza 

Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel, Friday, May 17, 2024. (AP)
Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel, Friday, May 17, 2024. (AP)
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Western Nations Urge Israel to Comply with International Law in Gaza 

Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel, Friday, May 17, 2024. (AP)
Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel, Friday, May 17, 2024. (AP)

Israel must comply with international law in Gaza and address the devastating humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian enclave, a group of Western nations wrote in a letter to the Israeli government seen by Reuters on Friday.

All countries belonging to the Group of Seven (G7) major democracies, apart from the United States, signed the letter, along with Australia, South Korea, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and Finland.

The five-page letter comes as Israeli forces bear down on the southern Gaza city of Rafah as part of its drive to eradicate Hamas, despite warnings this could result in mass casualties in an area where displaced civilians have found shelter.

"In exerting its right to defend itself, Israel must fully comply with international law, including international humanitarian law," the letter said, reiterating "outrage" for the Oct. 7 Hamas raid into Israel which triggered the conflict.

Israel denies blocking humanitarian aid and says it needs to eliminate Hamas for its own protection.

The Western nations said they were opposed to "a full-scale military operation in Rafah" and called on Israel to let humanitarian aid reach the population "through all relevant crossing points, including the one in Rafah".

"According to UN estimates, an intensified military offensive would affect approximately 1.4 million people," the letter said, underscoring the need "for specific, concrete and measurable steps" to significantly boost the flow of aid.

The letter recognizes Israel made progress in addressing a number of issues, including letting more aid trucks into the Gaza Strip, the reopening of the Erez crossing into northern Gaza and the temporary use of Ashdod port in southern Israel.

But it called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to do more, including working towards a "sustainable ceasefire", facilitating further evacuations and resuming "electricity, water and telecommunication services".

Since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack, Israel's Gaza offensive has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians, local health officials say. Hamas-led gunmen killed some 1,200 people and abducted 253 in their attack to Israel, according to Israeli tallies.



Hamas Was Not Asked to Leave Doha, but 'Notified' of US Request for Its Expulsion

A file photo of two Palestinian fighters from the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Hamas movement, participating in a military parade near the border with Israel in central Gaza Strip, July 19, 2023 (Reuters).
A file photo of two Palestinian fighters from the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Hamas movement, participating in a military parade near the border with Israel in central Gaza Strip, July 19, 2023 (Reuters).
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Hamas Was Not Asked to Leave Doha, but 'Notified' of US Request for Its Expulsion

A file photo of two Palestinian fighters from the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Hamas movement, participating in a military parade near the border with Israel in central Gaza Strip, July 19, 2023 (Reuters).
A file photo of two Palestinian fighters from the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Hamas movement, participating in a military parade near the border with Israel in central Gaza Strip, July 19, 2023 (Reuters).

A senior Hamas source confirmed that the movement has not received a request from Qatar to leave Doha, despite multiple reports that claimed so, however, he said the movement was informed of the US request in this regard.

The source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the movement was made aware of a US request and mounting pressure for its expulsion, but the Qatari government has not made any request from the movement's leaders.

The source added: "This has happened several times before, and it seems to be a form of US pressure aimed at forcing the movement to make concessions in the stalled ceasefire negotiations in Gaza."

Also, a senior Hamas official told AFP on Saturday that the militant group had received no indication from Qatar that it should leave the country, where its political office has been based for years.

"We have nothing to confirm or deny regarding what was published by an unidentified diplomatic source and we have not received any request to leave Qatar," the official said from Doha.

Earlier, a diplomatic source told AFP on Saturday that "the Qataris informed both the Israelis and Hamas that as long as there is a refusal to negotiate a deal in good faith, they cannot continue to mediate." 

"As a consequence, the Hamas political office no longer serves its purpose," the source said on condition of anonymity.

Qatar, which is home to a major US military base, has hosted Hamas's political leadership since 2012 with Washington's blessing.

During the talks after Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel last year, both Qatari and US officials indicated that the militant group would remain in Doha as long as its presence offered a viable channel of communication.