LONDON, August 12. /TASS/. The foreign ministers of 24 countries and three European commissioners have put out a joint statement saying that the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip has reached a critical level, calling on Israel to allow humanitarian aid to people in need.
"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 UK Foreign Office said in a statement.
It was signed by the foreign ministers of Australia, Belgium, Great Britain, Greece, Denmark, the EU, Ireland, Iceland, Spain, Canada, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Finland, France, Switzerland, Sweden, Estonia, Japan, as well as the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, the EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean and the EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management.
"We call on the government of Israel to provide authorisation for all international NGO aid shipments and to unblock essential humanitarian actors from operating," the statement said. " We need a ceasefire that can end the war, for hostages to be released and aid to enter Gaza by land unhindered."
The statement said that stricter requirements will force many international non-governmental organizations to leave the occupied Palestinian territories very soon, which will only worsen the crisis.
"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. Lethal force must not be used at distribution sites, and civilians, humanitarians and medical workers must be protected," the document read.
The statement also thanked Qatar, Egypt and the US for their mediation efforts.
About the situation in the region
The situation in the Middle East deteriorated sharply after Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip broke into Israel on October 7, 2023, killing residents of the border settlements and taking hostages. Israel retaliated by an operation in the enclave aimed at destroying the military and political structures of Hamas and free all the abductees.
In March, Israel resumed fighting with massive strikes on the enclave and interrupting the ceasefire regime established in January. Several rounds of negotiations mediated by Egypt, Qatar and the United States failed.
Israel has recently approved a plan to take control of the entire Gaza City and expand operations in the Palestinian enclave.