The foreign ministers of Australia, Japan, India and the US appealed for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza in a joint statement following a meeting of the Quad nations in the Japanese capital, Tokyo, Al Jazeera reports.

“We affirm the imperative of securing the release of all hostages held by Hamas, and emphasise that the deal to release hostages would bring an immediate and prolonged ceasefire in Gaza,” the ministers said.

They expressed their commitment to a “sovereign, viable and independent Palestinian state” as part of a two-state solution, and added: “Any unilateral actions that undermine the prospect of a two-state solution, including Israeli expansion of settlements and violent extremism on all sides, must end.

“We underscore the need to prevent the conflict from escalating and spilling over in the region.”