Voices rise against Israeli war in Gaza

More world leaders are joining the chorus calling on Israel to halt its war against Hamas in Gaza, warning that the violence could worsen the humanitarian crisis on both sides.

The African Union on Wednesday joined the Arab League in reaffirming "unwavering support" for the Palestinian cause, including a long-term peace settlement, but called for a cessation of violence for the sake of civilians.

It is the second time the two blocs have issued a joint statement that also condemned Israel for the siege of Gaza.

On Tuesday, the Arab League Council of Ambassadors in Nairobi said peace between Israel and Palestine must be based on the "centrality of the Palestinian cause" in determining long-term peace in Gaza.

They said they condemn "all violations of human dignity that the brotherly Palestinian people are subjected to under occupation, [and] the aggression and violations they are currently exposed to.”

The Arab League, which includes most of Israel's immediate neighbours, has criticised Israel's bombardment of Gaza, which by Tuesday had killed more than 5,000 Palestinians.

The envoys say a long-term solution must be based on the right of Palestinians to establish their own independent state.

On Wednesday, the Elders, a group of influential global peace leaders, said that while they condemned the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel that started the war on October 7, they also condemned Israel for using excessive force against civilians.

"These are mass atrocities for which the perpetrators must be brought to justice, preferably in a court of law," the Elders said, referring to the Hamas attack on a concert on October 7 that killed more than 1,400 people.

“We also condemn the Israeli government’s unacceptable collective punishment of the population of Gaza through siege, the scale of the military assault and its death toll, and the forcible transfer of civilians within the territory, as well as the continuing land and home incursions and demolitions in the West Bank and settler violence against Palestinian communities.

“These are not legitimate acts of self-defence; they are clear violations of international humanitarian law, and some amount to atrocities for which there needs to be criminal accountability.”

The Palestinian and Israeli peoples are intertwined by history, geography and legacies of sacrifice and suffering, the group said, calling for an end to violence to protect civilians.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict spans more than five decades. But Hamas, listed as a terrorist group in Israel and most Western countries, emerged in 2006. It now runs the Gaza Strip, although there haven't been any elections since 2016. Its militant wing says it attacked Israel in revenge for the ongoing siege under which Palestinians live.

On Tuesday, Kenya's President William Ruto, who had earlier condemned the Hamas attack on Israel, said both sides must stop their attacks.

Speaking at a forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the president said the conflict was hurting everyone else, including those in Africa who rely on imports from the Middle East.

“Every human being’s life is sacred. We should find ways to resolve issues and deal with conflicts without shedding human blood,” urged the Head of State as he responded to questions on the current geopolitical tensions in the world at the at the 7th Future Investment Initiative (FII) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

“Kenya bore the brunt in the struggle for independence and the terrorist attacks. We must not shed blood,” pleaded Ruto as he spoke about Africa’s potential to lead in renewable energy and the urgent need for strategic climate financing.

“We must protect the sanctity of human life. We cannot get solutions through the barrel of a gun. Issues cannot be resolved through conflict.”