Jersey chief minister calls for Gaza war to end

Deputy Lyndon Farnham said loss of life was "shocking and unacceptable"

Jersey's chief minister has condemned the ongoing crisis in Gaza, calling for an "immediate cessation of violence against civilians and the release of all hostages".

Deputy Lyndon Farnham said he had written to UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, urging British pressure being maintained to end the conflict.

Farnham said although Jersey was aligned with the UK in matters of international relations, the escalation of conflict had compelled him to "engage directly with the foreign secretary to ensure Jersey's position is reiterated and understood".

He also said: "What we are witnessing in Gaza is a humanitarian tragedy on a devastating scale."

His call comes after Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry reported 33 people, including 12 children, had died from malnutrition in the past 48 hours.

The World Health Organization said Israel's offensive in central Gaza had compromised its efforts to continue working after its facilities had come under attack.

The Israeli military said it detained "several individuals suspected of involvement in terrorism" in the area and that most were released.

Lammy told the BBC on Tuesday he was appalled and sickened by the plight of civilians in Gaza after the Israeli government rejected an international statement which warned suffering has "reached new depths".

Farnham said: "The loss of innocent civilian life, including thousands of children, is both shocking and unacceptable.

"While Jersey is a Crown dependency and does not conduct its own foreign policy, we are a community founded on values of human dignity, justice and the rule of law.

"I urge the UK government to take the firmest possible action to press for an immediate ceasefire, the protection of all civilians, and unfettered humanitarian access into Gaza.

"The international community must not turn a blind eye to breaches of international law or recent reports, including from Amnesty International, raising serious and credible concerns that aspects of Israel's actions in Gaza may be in breach of obligations under the Genocide Convention."

'Calling for peace'

Farnham said Jersey Overseas Aid (JOA) remained in contact with international partners to "explore further avenues for urgent assistance and longer-term support for those affected by the conflict".

JOA has allocated more than £1.3m since October 2023, with a UN representative calling its work "very inspiring".

"We stand with all those calling for peace, accountability and the urgent protection of civilians, regardless of nationality," Farnham said.