Washington. The leaders of 18 countries, including the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Spain, called on the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas “for the immediate release of all hostages held” in Gaza, in a joint statement published this Thursday. .
“Among them are our own citizens,” says the text released by the White House.
The hostages were kidnapped by Hamas members during a violent attack on October 7. From this, the deadliest war in history was unleashed between Hamas and Israel, which wants to end the Palestinian group.
“The fate of the hostages and the civilian population of Gaza, protected by international law, is a cause of international concern,” according to the document.
“We insist that the agreement on the table to release the hostages would entail an immediate and prolonged ceasefire in Gaza, which would facilitate an increase in the necessary additional humanitarian aid to be delivered throughout Gaza, and would lead to a credible end to the conflict. hostilities,” they say.
“We strongly support ongoing mediation efforts to bring our people home,” they add.
Israel estimates that 129 of the approximately 250 people kidnapped during the Hamas attack remain in Gaza, including 34 who the military says have died.
The Hamas attack caused the death of 1,170 people, according to an AFP count based on official Israeli figures.
At least 34,305 people have died in Gaza during more than six months of Israeli retaliation operations, the Ministry of Health of the Hamas-ruled territory reported this Thursday.
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– 2024-04-27 21:55:03
