The leaders of the world's seven leading industrialized democracies called on Israel to respect human rights in the war on Gaza and to refrain from a major offensive in Rafah in the final declaration after the Group of Seven summit in southern Italy.
They condemned the October 7 attack by the Palestinian Islamist Hamas in the strongest terms, alongside the group's strategy of using civilians as shields.
They also warned the Israeli leadership, after criticism worldwide of the high number of civilian casualties and catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip due to the Israeli military operation there, particularly concerning Rafah, intensely overcrowded by those fleeing fighting elsewhere in the densely-packed strip.
Israel must respect international law and human rights in its military action against Hamas, the declaration says. "We are deeply concerned by the consequences on the civilian population of the ongoing ground operations in Rafah, and the possibility of a full-scale military offensive."
This would have further dire consequences for the civilian population, it says.
"We call on the government of Israel to refrain from such an offensive," the G7 group said, after Washington in particular put pressure on Israel to refrain from a large-scale invasion of Rafah.
The final declaration also called on all parties involved to allow unhindered access for humanitarian aid, a plea directed in particular at the Israeli leadership, which has refused to open border crossings to the Gaza Strip for aid deliveries in recent months.
The G7 declaration also criticises Israel's settler policy in Palestinian territories.
Earlier, the G7 committed to the three-phase plan presented by US President Joe Biden last month, providing for a complete and unrestricted ceasefire of six weeks as the first step of three.
