US, Australia, India, Japan demand immediate ceasefire in Gaza

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the Foreign Ministers of Australia, India, and Japan released a joint statement today calling for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and the establishment of a Palestinian state following a meeting of The Quad, a diplomatic network of the four nations.

"We unequivocally condemn the terror attacks on October 7, 2023," the staement's section on the Middle East begins.

"The large-scale loss of civilian lives and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is unacceptable. We affirm the imperative of securing the release of all hostages held by Hamas, and emphasize that the deal to release hostages would bring an immediate and prolonged ceasefire in Gaza," the statement continued.

"We underscore the urgent need to significantly increase deliveries of life-saving humanitarian assistance throughout Gaza as well as the crucial need to prevent regional escalation," the foreign ministers added. "We urge all parties to comply with international law, including international humanitarian law, as applicable. We welcome UNSC Resolution S/RES/2735 (2024), and strongly urge all parties concerned to work immediately and steadily toward the release of all hostages and an immediate ceasefire."

"We call on all parties to take every feasible step to protect lives of civilians including aid workers, and facilitate the rapid transportation of humanitarian relief. We also encourage other countries, including those in the Indo-Pacific, to increase their efforts to address the dire humanitarian need on the ground. We underscore that the future recovery and reconstruction of the Gaza Strip should be supported by the international community. We remain committed to a sovereign, viable and independent Palestinian state taking into account Israel’s legitimate security concerns as part of a two-state solution that enables both Israelis and Palestinians to live in a just, lasting, and secure peace. Any unilateral actions that undermine the prospect of a two-state solution, including Israeli expansion of settlements and violent extremism on all sides, must end. We underscore the need to prevent the conflict from escalating and spilling over in the region," the joint statement's section on the war between Israel and Hamas concludes.