The United Kingdom and 27 other nations have issued a strong joint statement condemning Israel’s handling of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, calling for an immediate end to the ongoing war.
The statement criticizes Israel’s aid delivery model as dangerous and blames it for the deaths of hundreds of civilians, including children, who were seeking food and water.
“The war in Gaza must end now,” the statement declared, warning that the suffering of civilians has “reached new depths.”
Signatories include the foreign ministers of Australia, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, and others.
More than 100 Palestinians were reportedly killed over the weekend while waiting for food, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry.
Nineteen others reportedly died from malnutrition. The UK’s Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, described the situation as a “litany of horrors,” citing strikes that have killed starving children. He announced an additional £40 million in UK humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Israel rejected the joint condemnation, calling it “disconnected from reality.” The Israeli foreign ministry accused Hamas of obstructing aid efforts and prolonging the war by refusing ceasefire proposals.
The United Nations and humanitarian agencies have also raised alarm. UN Secretary General António Guterres’s spokesperson said the humanitarian system in Gaza is collapsing.
“Israel has the obligation to allow and facilitate the humanitarian relief efforts,” the spokesperson emphasized.
Tensions around aid distribution have escalated since Israel and the U.S. established the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) to deliver aid directly, bypassing the UN.
However, the UN refuses to cooperate with the GHF, citing safety concerns and violations of humanitarian principles.
The UN Human Rights Office reported that 674 people have been killed near GHF aid sites in the past eight weeks, with an additional 201 deaths occurring along UN aid convoy routes.
Over the weekend, 39 more people were killed near aid distribution points in Khan Younis and Rafah, while another 67 died near a UN aid convoy in northern Gaza.
The Israeli military claimed it fired warning shots in both cases to deter “suspects.”
The World Food Programme has warned that Gaza’s hunger crisis is spiraling out of control, with 90,000 women and children needing urgent treatment for malnutrition.
Hospitals are reportedly unable to provide food or baby formula, and markets are largely shut due to widespread shortages.
“My children have had only a small plate of lentils in three days,” said Gaza resident Mohammad Emad al-Din. “There’s no bread. A kilogram of flour was $80 last week.”
The statement from the 28 countries also condemned Israeli proposals to relocate Gaza’s entire population to a “humanitarian city” in Rafah, calling such a move a violation of international law against forced displacement.
The countries urged Israel, Hamas, and the international community to work toward an “immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire.”
They warned they are prepared to take further actions to support peace — a veiled reference to possible recognition of a Palestinian state, a step not yet taken by countries like the UK and France.
Israel’s government continues to maintain that its military operations in Gaza are necessary following the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack that killed about 1,200 people and saw over 250 taken hostage.
Since then, Gaza’s health ministry reports at least 59,029 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s military campaign.
Meanwhile, aid remains stalled at border crossings, with Israel saying 700 trucks loaded with supplies are awaiting UN pickup.
The UN blames ongoing hostilities, fuel shortages, and Israeli restrictions for the delay in distribution.
