A statement from the Foreign Ministers of 26 countries including Ireland has condemned what it called the “drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians” in Gaza.
The statement called for an immediate end to the war and the release of all Israeli hostages being held in the enclave.
The signatories were from Ireland, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.
The statement said Israel’s current aid delivery model is “dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity”.
“It is horrifying that over 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid,” it said.
“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.”
Israel has since rejected the statement, saying it is “disconnected from reality and sends the wrong message to Hamas”.
GHF denies it is unsafe
The aid distribution system is currently operated through the Israel and US backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
GHF denies it is unsafe and says it is currently the only organisation providing aid on a large scale in Gaza.
It comes as UN agencies warn that a new ground offensive in Deir al-Balah further obstructs efforts to provide humanitarian assistance in a situation that deteriorates every day.
The statement also condemned the “continued detention” of hostages “cruelly held captive by Hamas”.
“We condemn their continued detention and call for their immediate and unconditional release,” it said.
“A negotiated ceasefire offers the best hope of bringing them home and ending the agony of their families.”
It also said that “proposals to remove the Palestinian population into a ‘humanitarian city’ are completely unacceptable”.
“Permanent forced displacement is a violation of international humanitarian law,” it added.
The foreign ministers said that “further bloodshed serves no purpose”.
“We are prepared to take further action to support an immediate ceasefire and a political pathway to security and peace for Israelis, Palestinians and the entire region,” they said.
