G7 asks 'all parties' to prevent further Middle East escalation

CAPRI

<p>U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, centre, is surrounded by Britain's Foreign Secretary David Cameron, left, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa , high, Canada's Foreign Minister Melanie Joly and Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani as they attend an Indo-Pacific meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Foreign Ministers meeting on Capri Island, Italy, Friday, April 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, Pool)</p>

G7 foreign ministers Friday urged "all parties" to "work to prevent further escalation" in the Middle East, following reports that Israel had carried out revenge strikes on Iran.

"In light of reports of strikes on April 19th, we urge all parties to work to prevent further escalation. The G7 will continue to work to this end," the Group of Seven industrialised nations said in a statement.

The ministers from Italy, the U.K., U.S., France, Germany, Japan and Canada said they "demand that Iran and its affiliated groups cease their attacks".

"We will hold the Iranian government accountable for its malicious and destabilising actions," they said after a meeting in the Italian island of Capri.

The G7 said it was "ready to adopt further sanctions or take other measures, now and in response to further destabilizing initiatives".

Iran's state media reported explosions in the central province of Isfahan Friday, as U.S. media quoted officials saying Israel had carried out retaliatory strikes on its arch-rival.

Israel had previously warned it would hit back after Iran fired missiles and drones at Israel almost a week ago, in retaliation for a deadly strike on Iran's embassy in Syria which Tehran blamed on its foe.

Fears of a major regional spillover from the Gaza war have since soared.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who holds the G7 rotating presidency, told a press conference in Capri he "wanted a very clear message to come out of G7: the political goal of the G7 is de-escalation".

"We invite all parties to work to avoid any escalation," he added.

G7 opposes 'full scale military operation in Rafah'

Foreign ministers also said Friday they opposed a "full-scale military operation in Rafah" by Israel as that would have "catastrophic consequences on the civilian population".

Ministers slammed the "unacceptable number of civilians" killed in Gaza during Israel's military offensive.

Israel has vowed to send troops into Gaza's overcrowded Rafah area in its war against Hamas.

"We reiterate our opposition to a full scale military operation in Rafah that would have catastrophic consequences on the civilian population," the ministers said in a statement.

Israel has faced growing global opposition to the relentless war that has reduced much of Gaza to rubble, while its 2.4 million people have suffered under an Israeli siege.

"We deplore all losses of civilian lives," G7 ministers said at meeting on Italy's island of Capri.

They said they "note with great concern the unacceptable number of civilians, including thousands of women, children and persons in vulnerable situations who have been killed in Gaza".

The war started after Hamas launched its unprecedented attack on Oct. 7 that resulted in the deaths of 1,170 people in southern Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.

Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 33,970 people in Gaza, mostly women and children. according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.