Gaza suffering has reached 'unimaginable' levels, say 24 foreign ministers
"Famine is unfolding before our eyes. Urgent action is needed now to halt and reverse starvation," the foreign ministers of 24 countries said in a joint statement.
"We call on the government of Israel to provide authorisation for all international NGO (non-governmental organisations) aid shipments and to unblock essential humanitarian actors from operating," the statement said.
"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."
Israel has denied responsibility for hunger spreading in Gaza, accusing Hamas militants of stealing aid shipments, which Hamas denies. However, in response to a rising international uproar, Israel late last month announced steps to let more aid into the enclave, including pausing fighting for part of the day in some areas and announcing protected routes for aid convoys.
Western capitals, however, say much more aid is needed.
The statement was signed by the foreign ministers of Australia, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Britain.
The EU's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, and two other members of the European Commission also signed the statement.
Some EU member countries, including Germany and Hungary, did not sign it.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
30 minutes ago
- Reuters
South Sudan says no talks with Israel to resettle Palestinians from Gaza
NAIROBI, Aug 13 (Reuters) - South Sudan is not in talks with Israel to resettle Palestinians from war-torn Gaza, South Sudan's foreign ministry said on Wednesday. On Tuesday, the Associated Press, citing six people with knowledge of the matter, reported that Israel was holding discussions with Juba to resettle Palestinians from Gaza in the East African nation. "These claims are baseless and do not reflect the official position or policy of the Government of the Republic of South Sudan," South Sudan's foreign affairs ministry said in a statement. Israel's military has pounded Gaza City in recent days prior to its planned takeover of the shattered enclave which is home to more than 2 million Palestinians. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday reiterated a view - also enthusiastically floated by U.S. President Donald Trump - that Palestinians should simply leave Gaza. Many world leaders are horrified at the idea of displacing the Gaza population, which Palestinians say would be like another "Nakba" (catastrophe) when hundreds of thousands fled or were forced out during the Arab-Israeli war of 1948. In March, Somalia and its breakaway region of Somaliland also denied receiving any proposal from the United States or Israel to resettle Palestinians from Gaza, with Mogadishu saying it categorically rejected any such move. South Sudan's Foreign Minister Monday Semaya Kumba visited Israel last month and met with Netanyahu, according to the foreign ministry in Juba. Last month South Sudan's government confirmed that eight migrants deported to the African nation by the Trump administration were currently in the care of the authorities in Juba after they lost a legal battle to halt their transfer. Since achieving independence from Sudan in 2011, South Sudan has spent nearly half its life at war and is currently in the grip of a political crisis, after President Salva Kiir's government ordered the arrest of Vice President Riek Machar in March.
The Guardian
30 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Victoria could save nearly $500m over 10 years by scrapping greyhound racing, estimates show
The Victorian government could save almost half a billion dollars if it follows Tasmania in phasing out greyhound racing in the state, according to independent analysis. A policy costing by the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO), to be released on Thursday, estimates the government would save $451.6m between 2025–26 and 2035–36 if it stopped subsidising greyhound racing and closed the industry. The figure is based on an estimated $687.4m drop in government spending on the industry over the decade, offset by a $235.8m loss in revenue, as Victorians would no longer be able to bet on greyhound races held in the state. The analysis said the government 'increased ongoing support' to the entire Victorian racing industry, which includes thoroughbred and harness racing, in 2024. This was through a higher point of consumption tax on wagering revenue, which was increased to 15% from 10%, with half of the revenue going to racing, and a funding deed providing $90m annually. The PBO analysis didn't factor in the 'risk or cost of potential legal claims against the Victorian government' from breaking agreements, such as current racing club or racecourse licences or its wagering contract with Tabcorp. Sign up: AU Breaking News email The report was commissioned by Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell, who said she was 'not surprised' but 'absolutely appalled' to learn how much the Victorian government was subsiding the industry. 'For this government to be spending hundreds of millions of dollars supporting the greyhound racing industry while they fail to fund the operation of new women's crisis shelters, fail to meet their Gonski requirement, fail to adequately fund mental health care and fail to properly support regional Victorians is frankly astounding,' Purcell said. She said according to the Coalition of Protection of Greyhounds, which collects publicly available stewards' reports after meets, 29 dogs have died on racetracks in Victoria this year. 'Meanwhile, Tasmania has made a principled and ethical decision after one dog, their Greyhound of the Year, was killed on July 28,' Purcell said. 'It certainly says a lot about the direction of the Victorian Labor government when even the Liberals are doing better than them on animal protection.' The Tasmanian premier, Jeremy Rockliff, on Sunday announced his Liberal government would end funding for greyhound racing in the state by 2029, effectively winding up the industry. In May, a report by economist Saul Eslake into the Tasmanian greyhound industry found the state government funded the sport 'more generously than any other jurisdiction, to the tune of $12.70 per head of population in 2023-24'. This includes by returning 80% of revenue from its point of consumption tax to racing. Eslake told Guardian Australia greyhound racing 'likes to style itself as an industry' but relies on the 'public purse' in most states. Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion 'We don't talk about the football industry or the basketball industry or the tennis industry,' he said. 'Racing likes to call itself an industry, so maybe its claims ought to be tested in the same way as when another industry comes along wanting a handout. It should be subject to the same rigorous scrutiny.' The Victorian racing minister, Anthony Carbines, on Monday said he had no plans to end greyhound racing in the state, describing the Tasmanian government's announcement as a 'desperate' attempt to secure the support of crossbench MPs after failing to win a majority at the recent state election. 'No one's safe in Tasmania. Throw everyone overboard to form a majority,' Carbines said. He said greyhound racing generated $850m a year in economic activity and employed almost 5,000 people in full-time work in Victoria. 'The government here in Victoria backs greyhound racing,' Carbines said. In 2018, the ACT banned greyhound racing. New South Wales proposed a ban in 2016 before then premier Mike Baird backflipped after a backlash. Last year, an inquiry into the industry in the state was called, following allegations of widespread animal abuse.
Reuters
30 minutes ago
- Reuters
UK support for Ukraine 'unwavering', Starmer tells Trump and other leaders
LONDON, Aug 13 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told U.S. President Donald Trump and European leaders that support for Ukraine was unwavering and that there should be robust security guarantees as part of any peace deal with Russia. "The Prime Minister was clear that our support for Ukraine is unwavering - international borders must not be changed by force and Ukraine must have robust and credible security guarantees to defend its territorial integrity as part of any deal," a readout of a call from Starmer's Downing Street office said. The call, which also included Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Finland, NATO and the European Union, comes ahead of a meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.
