 "10 countries warn Gaza humanitarian crisis has turned 'catastrophic' as winter sets in")
The foreign ministers of 10 countries on Tuesday voiced “serious concerns” over a “renewed deterioration of the humanitarian situation” in Gaza, warning that conditions in the territory have become “catastrophic.”
In a joint statement released by the UK’s Foreign Office, the ministers of Britain, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Japan, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland said civilians in Gaza were facing worsening hardship as winter sets in.
“As winter draws in, civilians in Gaza are facing appalling conditions with heavy rainfall and temperatures dropping,” the statement read.
The warning came a day after US President Donald Trump warned Palestinian militant group Hamas there would be “hell to pay” if it fails to disarm in Gaza, as he presented a united front with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“1.3 million people still require urgent shelter support. More than half of health facilities are only partially functional and face shortages of essential medical equipment and supplies. The total collapse of sanitation infrastructure has left 740,000 people vulnerable to toxic flooding,” the statement added.
The ministers said they welcomed progress toward ending the bloodshed in Gaza and securing the release of Israeli hostages, but stressed that civilian suffering remained a central concern.
“However we will not lose focus on the plight of civilians in Gaza,” they said, urging the Israeli government to take a series of “urgent and essential” steps.
Among the measures outlined was ensuring that international non-governmental organisations are able to operate in Gaza in a “sustained and predictable” manner.
“As 31 December approaches, many established international NGO partners are at risk of being deregistered because of the government of Israel’s restrictive new requirements,” the statement said.
The ministers also called for the United Nations and its partners to be allowed to continue their work in Gaza, and for the lifting of “unreasonable restricts on imports considered to have a dual use,” including medical and shelter equipment.
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View AllThey further urged the opening of border crossings to increase the flow of humanitarian aid.
While welcoming the partial reopening of the Allenby crossing, they said other routes, including Rafah, remain closed or severely restricted for humanitarian deliveries.
“Bureaucratic customs processes and extensive screenings are causing delays, while commercial cargo is being allowed in more freely,” the statement said.
“The target of 4,200 trucks per week, including an allocation of 250 UN trucks per day, should be a floor not a ceiling. These targets should be lifted so we can be sure the vital supplies are getting in at the vast scale needed,” it added.
With inputs from agencies
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