The leaders of the UK, US, France, Germany and Italy in a joint statement expressed “steadfast and united support" for the state of Israel and “unequivocal condemnation" of Hamas on 9th October.

The statement came after the terrorist group Hamas attacked Israel’s territories on Saturday, killing over 900 people. Israel has also launched a siege of Gaza and at least 700 Palestinians have died in the counterattack launched by Israeli forces.

The statement was released after a call between the UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak; the US president, Joe Biden; the French president, Emmanuel Macron; the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz; and the Italian prime minister, Giorgia Meloni. These five nations together comprise the Quint International Organisation.

“We make clear that the terrorist actions of Hamas have no justification, no legitimacy, and must be universally condemned. There is never any justification for terrorism. In recent days, the world has watched in horror as Hamas terrorists massacred families in their homes, slaughtered over 200 young people enjoying a music festival, and kidnapped elderly women, children, and entire families, who are now being held as hostages," the statement reads.

“Our countries will support Israel in its efforts to defend itself and its people against such atrocities. We further emphasise that this is not a moment for any party hostile to Israel to exploit these attacks to seek advantage," the statement further added.

The statement made some concessions to the Palestinian cause. “All of us recognise the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people, and support equal measures of justice and freedom for Israelis and Palestinians alike. But make no mistake: Hamas does not represent those aspirations, and it offers nothing for the Palestinian people other than more terror and bloodshed," the statement said.

The death toll from the 2023 Israel-Hamas conflict has crossed the 1,600 mark with over 900 dead in Israel and more than 650 dead in Gaza. The terrorist group Palestinian Jihad and Hamas are now holding over 130 Israelis and citizens of other nations hostage.

American naval ships, including an aircraft carrier, are moving closer to the eastern Mediterranean in response to Hamas’s attack. The US, however, said it would not put its military on the ground after attacks on Israel. UK PM Sunak pledged to provide diplomatic, intelligence or security support to Israel if requested, following an emergency Cobra meeting.

Image Source: The Times of Israel