Diplomats from the EU and 26 foreign ministers advocate for non-governmental organizations to be granted entry into Gaza
The ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to escalate, with critical shortages of food, medicine, shelter, and basic services [1][2][4]. Twenty-six Western countries and the European Commission are putting pressure on Israel to allow urgent humanitarian aid into the region, as the situation becomes increasingly dire.
The joint declaration, signed by Foreign Ministers from most EU countries, Australia, Canada, Iceland, Japan, Norway, Switzerland, and the UK, urges immediate, safe, and large-scale humanitarian access to prevent famine, protect civilians, and enable aid delivery without politicization or violence against aid workers [4]. The declaration also demands that all border crossings and routes be utilized for humanitarian aid.
However, the Israeli government's stance remains restrictive towards humanitarian access. Ongoing military actions and control over Gaza's crossings have limited the entry of humanitarian supplies for over five months, including shelter materials and medical aid [1][3]. While Israel has recently allowed some shelter materials into Gaza amid expanding ground operations, concerns have been expressed by humanitarian groups regarding the scale and timing of aid delivery [3].
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently stated that there is no famine in the Gaza Strip, claiming that the only ones going hungry are the hostages held by Hamas [5]. However, the joint declaration states that famine is spreading before their eyes in Gaza, and a flood of humanitarian aid is needed to reach the region [2].
The required items for aid include food, shelter, fuel, clean water, and medicine. Representatives from Western countries and the EU Commission have demanded that the Israeli government grant immediate and permanent access to the Palestinian territory for the United Nations, non-governmental organizations, and humanitarian actors [4].
Germany is not included in the list of countries that signed the joint declaration. The international community continues to watch closely as the humanitarian situation in Gaza worsens, with over 61,000 Palestinians killed and more than 150,000 injured since October 2023, and more than 1.4 million people requiring emergency shelter due to displacement and bombardment [1][3]. Civilians and aid workers at distribution points in Gaza must be protected to ensure that aid can reach those who need it most.
The joint declaration, signed by Foreign Ministers from most EU countries, Australia, Canada, Iceland, Japan, Norway, Switzerland, the UK, and several other nations, urges immediate and unpoliticized humanitarian access to prevent famine and protect civilians in the war-and-conflicts-stricken Gaza region. With ongoing military actions and Israel's restrictive stance towards humanitarian access, there is a pressing need for politics to prioritize general-news regarding the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, including the delivery of urgently needed food, shelter, fuel, clean water, and medicine.
