UK joins call for 'immediate' end to war in Gaza, as IDF launches offensive on Deir al-Balah
The joint statement, released by the Foreign Office, condemns the "horrifying" killing of Palestinians seeking aid, and brands Israeli government's aid strategy in Gaza as "dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity."
It comes as the IDF ordered the evacuation of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, with charities in the city reporting Israeli military vehicles on the ground.
The statement was signed by the Foreign Secretary David Lammy and foreign ministers of other 24 nations including Canada, Australia and France, and the EU Commissioner for Equality.
They condemn the "drip feeding of aid" and the "inhumane" killing of civilians, including children, while searching for water and food.
It continues: "It is horrifying that over 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid.
"The Israeli Government's denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable. Israel must comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law.
"The hostages cruelly held captive by Hamas since 7 October 2023 continue to suffer terribly. We condemn their continued detention and call for their immediate and unconditional release. A negotiated ceasefire offers the best hope of bringing them home and ending the agony of their families.
"We call on the Israeli government to immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid and to urgently enable the UN and humanitarian NGOs to do their life-saving work safely and effectively."
Meanwhile, the IDF has ordered Palestinians to evacuate Deir al-Balah in central Gaza and move south towards Al-Mawasi.
Deir al-Balah had previously been considered one of the less hard-hit parts of the territory, and had been a key hub for humanitarian efforts.
Posting on X (formerly Twitter), a spokesman for the IDF said the army continued to operate with "great force" and was expanding its operations into "an area it has not operated in before."
A spokesperson for charity Medical Aid for Palestine (MAP) has described the situation in Deir al-Balah as "extremely critical."
They added: "Shelling is taking place all around our office, and military vehicles are just 400 metres away from our colleagues and their families, who endured a harrowing night after relocating there.
"Everyone is now evacuating, with most unsure where to go next. One colleague shared that the area is filled with shelling and quadcopter strikes, and there's growing fear about both staying and attempting to leave.'
Smoke was seen rising over the Gaza Strip on Monday as Israel widened evacuation orders.
On Sunday, Medical Aid for Palestinians confirmed the IDF's evacuation order area included humanitarian and primary healthcare sites it operated.
It said the forced displacement orders do not allow for the transport medial equipment or supplies.
Steve Cutts, MAP's Interim CEO, said: 'This latest forced displacement order is yet another attack on humanitarian operations and a deliberate attempt to sever the last remaining threads of Gaza's health and aid system.
'MAP now has to suspend critical services we have been providing to the Palestinian population, including a primary health clinic that serves hundreds of civilians every day.
"With Israel's systematic targeting of health and aid workers, no one is safe. Not only are we prevented from carrying out our lifesaving work to support Palestinians, we are also unable to protect our own teams."
As talks for a ceasefire continue, the death toll in Gaza has reached more than 59,000 people, according to the Gaza health ministry.
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