The United Kingdom, France and Germany demand that Israel maintain conditions of ceasefire, warning its blockade on the risks of aid VIODER humanitarian law.
The aid of the Gaza Strip aid announced by Israel last week risk violating international humanitarian law, three European foreign ministers said in a statement.
In a joint declaration published on Wednesday, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the United Kingdom, France and Germany called on the Government of Israel to comply with its international obligations and to “ensure complete, rapid, safe and without hindrance of humanitarian assistance to the population in Gaza”.
Israel blocked the entry of assistance expeditions to Gaza on Sunday, a few hours after the first phase of its ceasefire agreement with the Palestinian group of Hamas, which raises fears of hunger and more difficulties during the sacred month of Ramadan which started during the weekend.
“A judgment on goods and supplies entering Gaza, such as that announced by the government of Israel, would risk violating international humanitarian law,” said the three ministers.
“Humanitarian aid should never be subject to a ceasefire or used as a political tool,” added the press release, calling for all parties to maintain the ceasefire.
Separately, Wednesday, five European members of the United Nations Security Council, including the United Kingdom and France, called Israel to “immediately let humanitarian aid flow into the Gaza Strip”, urging the parties “to find a path to go towards the following phases of the cease-fire and the release of the hostages”.
Rights defense groups have accused Israel of crimes against humanity and violations of international laws to block aid to Gaza. Nearly 50,000 Palestinians have been killed and 70% of Gaza buildings and roads are damaged after 15 months of Israeli bombing without stopping.
Hamas accused Israel of René in the ceasefire that ended the Gaza War. Israel now wants to extend the first phase of the 50 -day agreement instead of entering the second phase originally agreed. Israel was supposed to withdraw his forces from the Philadelphi corridor at the end of the first phase on March 1, but he refused to do so. Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to visit the region in the coming days to end the deadlock.
Desperate need for help
Wednesday, the World Food Program (WFP) said it had food supplies for the Palestinian enclave to keep public kitchens and open bakeries for less than two weeks.
Hani Mahmoud, from Tel Aviv Tribune, reporting from Gaza, said that the aid blockage had “a massive negative impact through the Gaza Strip”.
“People are hungry here … and the market exhausts,” he said.
“We see many articles that were available and common, such as flour, medicine and other basic necessities, are now expensive or unavailable.”
Rosalia Bollen, spokesperson for the UN children’s agency, said that the humanitarian aid block, including vaccines and fans for premature babies, “will have real devastating consequences” for children and their parents.
“If we cannot bring this, routine vaccination will end,” she said. “The neonatal units will not be able to take care of premature babies, it is therefore a real consequence with which we will be dealing very, very soon if we cannot take up the assistance supplies.”
Bollen, who is in Gaza, said that existing supplies have already been widely distributed throughout the enclave.
“The first phase of the ceasefire was not only a break in hostilities … It was really a life buoy for families here,” she added. “The atmosphere here is very depressed; The families I speak with are deeply worried about what the future will hold. »»
