UK, France, and Germany Demand Israel Resume Gaza Aid Amid Escalating Humanitarian Crisis

The foreign ministers of the UK, France, and Germany urged Israel to resume humanitarian aid to Gaza, where over 51,000 have died since the conflict began. They warned of starvation and disease risks for Gaza's 2.4 million residents due to a 52-day blockade. The ministers called for a ceasefire and criticized Israel's aid restrictions as violations of international law. The UN reports a collapse of Gaza's health system, with severe shortages of medical supplies and aid. Ceasefire talks remain stalled, and aid organizations report significant operational disruptions.

European Powers Condemn Aid Blockade

In a strongly worded joint statement, the foreign ministers of the UK, France, and Germany condemned Israel’s continued obstruction of humanitarian aid into Gaza, calling it “intolerable” and a violation of international law. The statement criticized Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz’s recent remarks, which appeared to politicize humanitarian assistance and suggested long-term Israeli presence in Gaza after the war.

“Humanitarian aid must never be used as a political tool,” the ministers said. “Israel is bound under international law to allow the unhindered passage of humanitarian aid.”

The statement emphasized that the current blockade, which began on March 2, has left essential supplies either depleted or rapidly running out. The ministers warned that the situation is pushing Gaza’s civilian population toward catastrophe.

Mounting Death Toll and Worsening Conditions

According to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, at least 51,305 people have been killed since the war erupted following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which left 1,218 Israelis dead, mostly civilians. The latest Israeli strikes on Wednesday killed at least 39 people, including 11 in a school-turned-shelter and four in eastern Gaza City.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that Gaza’s health system is collapsing, with over half of the remaining medical facilities located in areas under evacuation orders. Medicine, equipment, and medical staff are in critically short supply. Aid workers have also been targeted, with recent Israeli strikes hitting humanitarian personnel, infrastructure, and healthcare facilities.

“Survival itself is now slipping out of reach,” warned the CEOs of 12 major aid organizations in a joint statement. “The humanitarian system is at breaking point.”

UN and Aid Agencies Sound Alarm

The United Nations has described the situation in Gaza as the worst humanitarian crisis since the conflict began. OCHA reported that between April 15 and 21, nearly half of all planned humanitarian missions were either denied or impeded by Israeli authorities. Only 19 out of 42 planned aid convoys were successfully facilitated.

In the coastal encampments of Al Mawasi, where thousands of displaced families have taken refuge, raw sewage, trash, and disease are overwhelming communities. UNRWA officials warned that they have only 10 days of pesticides left, and food supplies are running dangerously low. A recent screening of 1,300 children in northern Gaza found over 80 suffering from acute malnutrition.

The UN also reported that more than 30 vehicles essential for waste management and water supply were destroyed by Israeli airstrikes between April 21 and 22. In the past week alone, at least 23 strikes hit tents sheltering internally displaced persons, killing dozens, including women, children, and people with disabilities.

Aid System on the Brink of Collapse

A new survey of 43 international and Palestinian aid organizations found that 95% have had to suspend or drastically reduce operations since the ceasefire ended on March 18. The blockade has left at least 9,000 pallets of aid stuck outside Gaza, and new Israeli regulations on NGO visas and reporting are further restricting humanitarian access.

“This is one of the worst humanitarian failures of our generation,” the aid groups said. “Every single person in Gaza is relying on humanitarian aid to survive. That lifeline has been completely cut off.”

The Israeli military has defended the blockade as a means to pressure Hamas in ongoing ceasefire negotiations. However, the UN Secretary-General has criticized Israel’s proposed new aid authorization mechanism, which he said would “limit aid down to the last calorie and grain of flour,” setting a dangerous precedent for humanitarian operations globally.

Call for Ceasefire and Hostage Release

The joint statement by the UK, France, and Germany also called for an immediate ceasefire and the release of all remaining hostages held by Hamas. “We must all work towards the implementation of a two-state solution,” the ministers said, emphasizing that this is the only path to lasting peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas echoed the call, urging Hamas to release the hostages, stating that their continued captivity gives Israel “excuses” to prolong its military campaign.

Meanwhile, ceasefire talks remain stalled. A Hamas delegation is currently in Cairo for renewed negotiations with Egyptian and Qatari mediators, but no breakthrough has been reported.

Humanitarian Principles Undermined

The European ministers stressed that humanitarian workers must be allowed to operate independently and safely across Gaza. They called for the restoration of deconfliction systems and the protection of medical personnel and facilities. Israel, they said, must allow the sick and wounded to leave Gaza for treatment and ensure that the urgent healthcare needs of the population are met.

The ministers also condemned any diversion of aid by Hamas for military purposes, reiterating that humanitarian assistance must reach those who need it most, without interference from any party to the conflict.

References

• Joint statement on behalf of the Foreign Ministers of France, Germany and the UK
• Updates: At least 39 killed by Israel in Gaza over last 24 hours
• Sewage, trash and disease overwhelm displaced communities in Gaza
• Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases
• CEOs of major aid groups in Gaza warn aid system is collapsing - Plan International Australia
• UK, France, Germany call on Israel to stop blocking supplies for Gaza | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News