Foreign ministers from seven industrialized countries, the G7, held a meeting in Tokyo on Wednesday (November 8, 2023) to focus on the situation in the Middle East and Ukraine. They also expressed concern about North Korea's illegal actions and China's "increasingly aggressive behavior" in regional waters.
The joint statement of the seven foreign ministers issued after the meeting condemned the brutal attack on Israel by Hamas militants early last month, supported Israel's exercise of its right to self-defense, but also "condemned the increasing violence against Palestinians by Jewish extremist settlers", and called on all parties involved in the fighting to implement a humanitarian pause and accelerate the provision of assistance to the trapped civilians in the Gaza Strip.
The joint statement states that the Group of Seven is working to avoid escalating conflicts and prevent the spread of conflict in the region.
Israel says its troops are fighting Hamas militants in Gaza City. Previously, Israel stated that it had implemented a "humanitarian pause" for several hours for several consecutive days, but reiterated that there would be no ceasefire until Hamas militants were eliminated.
The joint statement of the seven foreign ministers also "unwaveringly supports Ukraine's fight for independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity" and condemns "Russia's irresponsible nuclear threat".
The statement stated that the seven countries "continue to be seriously concerned about the situation in the East and South China Seas, and strongly oppose any unilateral attempt to change the status quo through force or coercion", and "strongly condemn North Korea for repeatedly launching ballistic missiles and engaging in weapons transactions with Russia, which directly violate United Nations Security Council resolutions
Previously, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stated that in the face of the situation in the Middle East and Ukraine, as well as the challenges in the Indo Pacific region, the Group of Seven (G7) needs to unite more than ever before.