G-7’S ACTION ON GAZA STRIP (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – IR)

Context: The G7 Foreign Ministers recently called for humanitarian pauses in the Israel-Hamas war to let aid in, help facilitate the release of hostages, and seek a return to a "broader peace process," as Israeli forces continue to strike the Gaza Strip.

G-7

• About: It is an intergovernmental organization. The bloc meets annually to discuss issues of common interest like global economic governance, international security, and energy policy.
• Formation: 1975.
• G7 countries: UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the US.
• India is not a part of the G7
• Membership: Apart from the 7 member countries, the European Union (EU) has also participated fully in the G7 since 1981 as a “non-enumerated” member.
• Presidency: It rotates annually among the member countries, with each country hosting the summit and setting the agenda for the year.
• Meetings: The G7 holds annual meetings. 
• Informal nature: The G7 does not have a formal charter or secretariat. Decisions are made through consensus, and there is no formal voting system or legal obligations.

Gaza Strip

• About: It is also known as Gaza, is a Palestinian enclave situated on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea.
• Boundaries: It shares an 11-kilometer (6.8-mile) border with Egypt to the southwest and a 51-kilometer (32-mile) border with Israel to the east and north.
• Both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank are territories claimed by the de jure sovereign State of Palestine.