Palestinian and Israeli civil society groups urge G7 to take action on Gaza

What Happened

Palestinian and Israeli civil society groups met in Paris on Friday, assembled as many as 150 activists, and urged G7 leaders to act at their summit in Évian-les-Bains next week to save the narrowing chances of a two-state solution. The groups issued a joint statement calling for a permanent monitored ceasefire, disarming Hamas, guaranteed humanitarian access, reconstruction in Gaza with Palestinian ownership, meaningful consequences for settler violence, proper funding for the Palestinian Authority, and Palestinian elections this year. They warned that without these steps, instability in the West Bank would deepen Hamas's entrenchment in Gaza and leave Israel with an expanding security crisis with no political exits. The meeting, attended by Arab and European foreign ministers including EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, sought to integrate diplomatic work with civil society movements. John Lyndon, executive director of the Alliance for Middle East Peace (a coalition of over 200 NGOs), said that diplomacy had been too elite-driven and that civil society was an untapped resource, adding that it was ironic the groups could meet in Paris more easily than in Israel due to government restrictions. The chance of a joint G7 statement on Gaza was described as vanishingly small.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The call from influential civil society groups highlights grassroots impatience with stalled top-down diplomacy and a perceived closing window for the two-state solution. The G7 summit offers a high-profile moment for international pressure, but the diplomatic deadlock—evidenced by the slim prospects of a joint statement—reflects entrenched obstacles: Hamas's demand for Israeli withdrawal before disarming, Israeli insistence on disarming first, settler violence, and the PA's financial and legitimacy crises. Integrating civil society could lend momentum and legitimacy at a time when official negotiations are frozen and violence continues.

Watch For

Monitor the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains next week for any mention of Gaza in the communiqué or separate statements. Watch for Israeli and Palestinian leadership reactions to the disarmament and elections proposals. Track whether the UK-Canada-Australia funding stream for peace groups materializes and influences on-the-ground initiatives. Observe the Cairo talks for any breakthrough on Hamas's weapons, and any Israeli moves on settler violence ahead of elections.