Berlin, Germany – The foreign ministers of Egypt, France, Germany and Jordan on Thursday called for an end to the violence between Israel and Gaza militants, who have been trading heavy fire for three days.
“The bloodletting must end now,” said German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock after hosting talks with her counterparts.
Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi also said the “negative developments must end, peace must be revived.”
Safadi said it was urgent to “calm the situation” and to create confidence-building measures that could lead to a political perspective for long-term peace.
The four ministers said later in a joint statement that they were “deeply alarmed” by the escalation.
“We urge an immediate comprehensive ceasefire which will end Israeli military operations in Gaza and indiscriminate rocket firing against Israel,” they said, praising Egyptian efforts to silence the weapons.
The group condemned the “deteriorating security situation in the occupied Palestinian territories and Israel, and on-going developments in Gaza, which has claimed unacceptable civilian casualties including women and children”.
The four powers said they would work with all parties to pave the way “for the resumption of a credible political process”.
They underlined that “all causes of tension and triggers of violence must end, including unilateral measures undermining the viability of the two-state solution and prospects of a just and lasting peace”.
The group encouraged Israeli and Palestinians to “scrupulously implement” commitments made at talks in Jordan in February and renewed in Egypt in March to prevent more violence between them.
The worst escalation of fighting in months has killed 25 people in the blockaded Palestinian enclave.
Air strikes by the Israeli army since Tuesday have killed fighters as well as civilians, including several children, said officials in the crowded coastal territory.
Militants in the Gaza Strip have fired more than 500 rockets at Israel, causing no casualties so far, the military said.
The Islamic Jihad militant group separately told AFP that rockets were fired again at Israel around 9:00 am (0600 GMT) Thursday.