Gaza: The foreign ministers of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany have cautioned Israel that blocking humanitarian aid to Gaza could breach international law.
In a joint statement issued on Wednesday, they urged the Israeli government to uphold its legal obligations and allow humanitarian assistance to reach Gaza’s population without restrictions.
Israel halted aid shipments into Gaza on Sunday, following the end of the first phase of its ceasefire agreement with Hamas. The move has raised concerns of worsening food shortages and hardships, particularly as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan has begun.
“A total blockade on essential goods and supplies entering Gaza, as announced by the Israeli government, risks violating International Humanitarian Law,” the ministers said. They emphasized that “humanitarian aid must never be conditioned on a ceasefire or used as a political bargaining tool” and called for all parties to respect the ceasefire agreement.
In a separate statement, five European members of the United Nations Security Council, including the UK and France, urged Israel to “immediately permit the flow of humanitarian aid” into Gaza. They also called on all involved to work towards implementing the next phases of the ceasefire and hostage release deal.
Human rights organizations have accused Israel of committing crimes against humanity by obstructing aid deliveries. The ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza has killed nearly 50,000 Palestinians and caused severe destruction, with 70% of the region’s infrastructure damaged after 15 months of continuous bombardment.
Hamas has accused Israel of violating the ceasefire terms, claiming that instead of proceeding to the second phase of the agreement, Israel is now pushing for a 50-day extension of the initial phase. Under the original deal, Israel was supposed to withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor by March 1, but it has refused to do so. Meanwhile, reports suggest that U.S. President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, is expected to visit the region in an attempt to break the deadlock.
