**International Community Demands End to Gaza War, Condemns Israel’s Aid Delivery Model**
The UK and 27 other countries have made a joint statement calling for an immediate end to the war in Gaza. The statement says that the suffering of civilians has “reached new depths” and condemns Israel’s aid delivery model as “dangerous” and “inhumane”.
According to the statement, Israel’s method of delivering aid through a system run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) is not only inefficient but also puts civilians at risk. The GHF’s system uses private security contractors to hand out food parcels from sites inside Israeli military zones, which has led to numerous civilian casualties.
The health ministry in Gaza says that over 100 Palestinians were killed while waiting for food and water over the weekend, and 19 others died as a result of malnutrition. This is just one example of the devastating impact of Israel’s aid delivery model on the civilian population.
**UK Foreign Secretary Slams Israeli Actions**
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza, saying that a “litany of horrors” was taking place in the territory. He also announced an extra £40m of humanitarian assistance for Gaza this year and said that he was a “steadfast supporter of Israel’s security and its right to exist”, but that their government’s actions were “doing untold damage to Israel’s standing in the world and undermining Israel’s long-term security”.
**International Community Steps In**
The joint statement by the 27 countries also urges Israel, Hamas, and the international community to bring an end to the conflict through an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire. They warn that they are “prepared to take further action” to support this demand.
Many see this as a call for recognition of a state of Palestine, something that many countries have done but not all, including the UK and France.
**Israeli Foreign Ministry Responds**
The Israeli foreign ministry has rejected the criticism, saying that it was “disconnected from reality” and sends the wrong message to Hamas. They blame Hamas for prolonging the conflict and for spreading lies about Israel’s actions.
**Aid Distribution in Gaza Remains a Challenge**
Despite the international community’s demands, aid distribution in Gaza remains a challenge. The UN struggles to pick up and distribute supplies due to ongoing hostilities, Israeli restrictions on humanitarian movements, and fuel shortages.
The Israeli military says that 700 lorry loads of aid are waiting to be picked up by the UN from border crossings, but the UN has not been able to collect them due to security concerns.
