Australia and a long list of allies have decried the “unimaginable” suffering in Gaza, calling on Israel to let in aid and allow foreign organisations to operate. Source: Nine News.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and her counterparts in 23 other countries and the European Union declared late last night that “famine is unfolding before our eyes”.
The latest mass statement on the conflict seemed aimed in large part at convincing Israel to reverse onerous new registration requirements for foreign aid groups.
The ministers warned essential international non-government organisations (NGOs) might be forced to leave the Occupied Palestinian Territories “imminently”, making the humanitarian situation worse.
“The humanitarian suffering in Gaza has reached unimaginable levels. Famine is unfolding before our eyes,” Senator Wong and the other foreign ministers said.
“Urgent action is needed now to halt and reverse starvation. Humanitarian space must be protected, and aid should never be politicised.”
Australia, France, Canada, the UK and other countries called on Israel to “provide authorisation for all international NGO aid shipments and to unblock essential humanitarian actors from operating”.
“Immediate, permanent and concrete steps must be taken to facilitate safe, large-scale access for the UN, international NGOs and humanitarian partners,” the foreign ministers said.
“All crossings and routes must be used to allow a flood of aid into Gaza, including food, nutrition supplies, shelter, fuel, clean water, medicine and medical equipment.
“Lethal force must not be used at distribution sites, and civilians, humanitarians and medical workers must be protected.”
The war was triggered by Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, in which militants abducted 251 people and killed about 1200 people, mostly civilians.
Israel’s air and ground offensive has displaced most of the people in Gaza, destroyed vast areas, pushed the territory toward famine and, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, killed more than 61,400 Palestinians.
The foreign ministers last night thanked the US, Qatar and Egypt for their help in negotiations and called for “a ceasefire that can end the war, for hostages to be released and aid to enter Gaza by land unhindered”.
FULL STORY
Australia and 23 other countries call for aid to enter Gaza amid ‘unimaginable levels’ of suffering (By Jorge Branco, Nine News)
