ISTANBUL

Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya on Friday strongly condemned Israel's ongoing military operations in Gaza during a phone call with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar.

Iwaya "strongly condemned the expanding ground operations by the Israeli forces in the Gaza city with numerous civilian casualties, the deterioration of the already dire humanitarian situation including famine, and the recent attacks on Qatar, stressing that Japan absolutely cannot accept such developments," according to a statement from the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

He also stressed that "Hamas must release the hostages and disarm."

Iwaya warned that due to Israel’s operations in Gaza, along with its annexation moves in the West Bank and settlement expansions, "a strong sense of urgency is increasingly spreading in the international community that such developments could undermine the very foundation of a two-state solution." Emphasizing Tokyo’s "consistent position to support a two-state solution," he urged "Israel to immediately cease any unilateral actions that run counter to it."

In a separate phone call with Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian, Iwaya reiterated Tokyo’s support for a two-state solution and emphasized the need to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

He also stressed the importance of achieving a ceasefire and securing the release of hostages.

Iwaya said that Japan would "proactively support Palestine’s state-building efforts by making the most of Japan’s initiatives, such as the Conference on cooperation among East Asian countries for Palestinian Development, and would continue to work closely with relevant countries and international organizations.

Speaking at a news conference on Friday, Iwaya said that all options — including sanctions against Israel and formal recognition of the State of Palestine — are on the table if the situation does not improve, according to Kyodo News.

Since Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has carried out a genocidal assault on Gaza, resulting in the deaths of more than 65,100 Palestinians, most of them women and children. Hundreds of thousands have been displaced, and famine has claimed the lives of at least 440 Palestinians, including 147 children.