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Foreign ministers of 25 countries urge Israel to let aid into Gaza as humanitarian crisis deepens
Palestinians collect humanitarian aid packages from the United Arab Emirates after they were airdropped into Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza Strip, on Saturday. AP File
The foreign ministers of 25 countries, including the UK, France, Australia, Spain, Japan, and several European Union representatives, have warned that humanitarian suffering in Gaza has reached 'unimaginable levels,' and called on the Israeli government to allow essential humanitarian actors to operate in Gaza.
'The humanitarian suffering in Gaza has reached unimaginable levels. Famine is unfolding before our eyes. Urgent action is needed now to halt and reverse starvation. Humanitarian space must be protected, and aid should never be politicised,' The Guardian quoted the foreign ministers as saying in a joint statement.
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'However, due to restrictive new registration requirements, essential international NGOs may be forced to leave the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) imminently which would worsen the humanitarian situation still further,' the statement added.
The group of countries urged Israel to authorise international NGO aid shipments, unblock humanitarian actors, and allow full access to the region for the UN and other partners.
'We call on the government of Israel to provide authorisation for all international NGO aid shipments and to unblock essential humanitarian actors from operating. Immediate, permanent and concrete steps must be taken to facilitate safe, large-scale access for the UN, international NGOs and humanitarian partners. All crossings and routes must be used to allow a flood of aid into Gaza, including food, nutrition supplies, shelter, fuel, clean water, medicine and medical equipment,' the statement further said.
The joint statement also condemned the use of lethal force at aid distribution sites and demanded protection for civilians, aid workers, and medical staff.
The ministers expressed support for diplomatic efforts by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt to broker a ceasefire.
'We are grateful to the US, Qatar and Egypt for their efforts in pushing for a ceasefire and pursuing peace. We need a ceasefire that can end the war, for hostages to be released and aid to enter Gaza by land unhindered,' the statement added.
Signatories include Australia, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, and senior representatives from the European Union.
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More than 60,000 people have been killed in the Gaza war so far, according to Palestinian authorities, with a significant number of the victims reported to be women and children.
Gaza's Health Ministry said at least 217 people — including 100 children — have died from starvation amid severe shortages of food and humanitarian aid.
While Israel disputes these figures, it has not released alternative data. The United Nations has said the reported toll is largely credible and may even understate the true scale of the devastation.
The war was triggered by a Hamas-led cross-border assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, in which militants killed around 1,200 people and abducted more than 250 others, according to Israeli officials.
With inputs from agencies
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