As Israel’s killing of Palestinians continues quick and sluggish, via air strikes and hunger, the overseas ministers of 28 nations have signed an announcement calling for an finish to Israel’s warfare on Gaza.
As these nations deploy phrases months after the United Nations and different teams warned of an oncoming famine, there was little motion on different fronts.
A few of these nations have recognised the Palestinian state whereas France final week angered Israeli officers by asserting it could do the identical in September.
Nonetheless, many critics have identified that as nations make these statements, lots of them proceed to profit from commerce with Israel and haven’t imposed sanctions or taken another motion that would push Israel to finish its genocidal warfare on Gaza.
The warfare has killed no less than 59,821 individuals in Gaza and wounded 144,477.
Right here’s all you might want to know concerning the nations making the most of Israel whereas condemning its navy motion:
How a lot do the signatories of the assertion commerce with Israel?
Belgium, France, Eire, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Switzerland and the UK all have greater than $1bn in imports, exports or each with Israel, in keeping with 2023 figures from the Observatory of Financial Complexity.
What do these nations commerce with Israel?
Among the many high objects being traded are automobiles and different motor autos, built-in circuits, vaccines and perfumes.
About $3.58bn in built-in circuits is the biggest particular person product going to Eire, making up the overwhelming majority of Eire’s imports from Israel.
In the meantime, Italy exports to Israel greater than another nation that signed the assertion. Its $3.49bn of exports included $116m in automobiles in 2023.
Do these nations recognise Palestine?
Of these nations that issued the assertion, Eire and Spain recognised Palestine in 2024 and have spoken strongly towards Israel’s actions in Gaza. Nonetheless, that hasn’t stopped them from persevering with commerce with Israel.
Seven different nations that signed the assertion additionally recognise the State of Palestine, together with Cyprus, Malta and Poland, all of which recognised Palestine in 1988, shortly after the Palestinian Declaration of Independence.
Iceland (2011), Sweden (2014), Norway (2024) and Slovenia (2024) additionally recognise the State of Palestine whereas France stated it is going to achieve this in September on the United Nations Basic Meeting.
Who signed the assertion?
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, Eire, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.
All of them are nonetheless buying and selling with Israel.
What was Israel’s response to the assertion?
As anticipated.
Oren Marmorstein, a spokesperson for the Israeli Ministry of Overseas Affairs, wrote on X that Israel rejects the assertion, saying “it’s disconnected from actuality and sends the flawed message to Hamas.”
What else are nations buying and selling with Israel doing?
France, Germany and the UK referred to as for an “quick ceasefire” in Gaza and “unconditional launch of all hostages” after they held an emergency name to debate the warfare and the starvation disaster created by Israel’s siege and help blockade on the enclave.
Has any of this made Israel change its behaviour?
Consideration has turned closely in direction of the hunger of Palestinians in Gaza, main even longtime Israeli stalwart supporters like former US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton to handle the difficulty.
Help organizations report that hundreds of kids in Gaza are susceptible to hunger whereas vehicles filled with meals sit ready throughout the border.
The total stream of humanitarian help have to be restored instantly.https://t.co/dt3Z9h6KXd
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 24, 2025
This strain has led Israel to announce “tactical pauses” for “humanitarian functions” from 10am to 8pm (07:00 to 17:00 GMT) in al-Mawasi, Deir el-Balah and Gaza Metropolis. They began on Sunday.
Regardless of the pauses, Israeli forces killed no less than 43 Palestinians early on Sunday.
The Palestinian Ministry of Well being in Gaza stated on Sunday that it had recorded six extra deaths over 24 hours because of famine and malnutrition, together with two kids.
This brings the overall variety of hunger deaths to 133, together with 87 kids.
