UK, Australia Call For 'immediate Cessation Of Fighting' In Gaza

Adelaide, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Mar, 2024) Britain and Australia declared the need for an "immediate cessation of fighting" in Gaza, as diplomatic pressure built on Israel Friday to ditch a planned ground assault on the southern city of Rafah.

After a meeting of Australian and UK foreign and defence ministers in Adelaide, the allies issued a statement that stressed the "urgency of an immediate cessation of fighting in Gaza to allow aid to flow and hostages to be released".

The call came just hours before the United States was expected to put a resolution to the UN Security Council stressing the need for "an immediate ceasefire".

Washington has for months vetoed calls for an immediate ceasefire, hoping to shield its closest middle Eastern ally, Israel, as it tries to avenge the attacks of October 7.

Britain and Australia said cessation was needed to "allow aid to flow and hostages to be released as a crucial step toward a permanent, sustainable ceasefire."

Britain is also a veto-wielding member of the UN Security Council, along with the United States, Russia, China and France.

The Australian and UK foreign and defence ministers also condemned Russia's "full-scale, illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine" and demanded that Russia withdraw its forces.