**International Outcry Over Gaza Conflict: 27 Countries Demand Immediate End to War**
The United Kingdom and 27 other countries have issued a joint statement calling for an immediate end to the war in Gaza. The statement, which was signed by foreign ministers from countries including Australia, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, and Switzerland, condemns Israel’s aid delivery model as “dangerous” and accuses the country of “inhumane killing of civilians” seeking food and water.
According to the statement, the suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths. The Israeli government’s aid delivery model is described as fueling instability and depriving Gazans of human dignity. The signatories warn that the “drip feeding of aid” is unacceptable and that more than 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy told the House of Commons that a “litany of horrors” was taking place in Gaza, including strikes that have killed “desperate, starving children.” He also announced an extra £40m of humanitarian assistance for Gaza this year, saying that he was “a steadfast supporter of Israel’s security and its right to exist” but that the government’s actions were “doing untold damage to Israel’s standing in the world and undermining Israel’s long-term security.”
**Reports of Civilians Killed While Waiting for Food**
There have been almost daily reports of Palestinians being killed while waiting for food since May, when Israel partially eased an 11-week total blockade on aid deliveries to Gaza. The UN human rights office has recorded 674 killings in the vicinity of aid sites run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) since they began operating eight weeks ago.
Last week, 39 people were killed near two GHF sites in Khan Younis and nearby Rafah, while another 67 people died as they surged toward a convoy of UN aid lorries. The World Food Programme has warned that Gaza’s hunger crisis had “reached new levels of desperation,” with people dying from lack of humanitarian assistance and malnutrition surging.
**Concerns Over Israeli Proposals**
The statement also expresses concern over Israeli proposals to move Gaza’s entire 2.1 million population into a so-called “humanitarian city” in the southern Rafah area, which is seen as unacceptable. The signatories warn that permanent forced displacement is a violation of international humanitarian law and urge Israel, Hamas, and the international community to bring this terrible conflict to an end through an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire.
**Rejection by Israeli Foreign Ministry**
The Israeli foreign ministry has rejected the criticism, saying that all statements and claims should be directed at Hamas, which started this war and is prolonging it. The ministry accused Hamas of running a campaign to spread lies about Israel and deliberately acting to increase friction and harm to civilians who come to receive humanitarian aid.
**Aid Delivery Challenges**
The UN has said it struggles to pick up and distribute supplies because of ongoing hostilities, Israeli restrictions on humanitarian movements, and fuel shortages. A spokesperson for the GHF appealed to UN agencies to join its operation while also blaming them for “stopping” work and failing to deliver supplies across the territory.
**Background to the Conflict**
The conflict began in response to a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and took 251 others hostage. At least 59,029 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory’s health ministry.
**International Community’s Response**
The international community is growing increasingly concerned over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The US has not signed the statement but has expressed similar concerns over the situation. The EU and other countries are also calling for an end to the conflict.
As the situation continues to deteriorate, the international community is urging Israel, Hamas, and the international community to bring this terrible conflict to an end through an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire.
