Groups of seven European countries are calling for an end to Israeli military attacks and Gaza blockade, as the UN’s aid director says they should not waste time on alternative US-backed proposals to provide aid to Palestinian territory.
In a joint statement later on Friday, leaders from Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Slovenia, Spain and Norway said “will not be silent in front of the humanitarian catastrophe happening right in Gaza.”
“We are calling on the Israeli government to immediately reverse current policies, and to abstain from military operations, fully lift the blockade and ensure safe, prompt and unhindered humanitarian assistance throughout the Gaza Strip by international humanitarian actors,” the statement said.
“Over 50,000 men, women and children have lost their lives. Unless immediate action is taken, more people could starve to death in the coming days and weeks,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Council of Europe, an organization that works to protect human rights and democracy, also noted that Gaza is suffering. “Deliberate hunger” And Israel, referring to Palestinian armed groups, warned that it was sowing “the next Hamas seeds” on its territory.
“It’s time for moral calculations surrounding the treatment of Palestinians, and it’s been a long time late,” said Dora Bakoyanis, Middle Eastern rapporteur at the Council of Europe.
The European call comes hours after UN aid chief Tom Fletcher said 160,000 pallets of relief and 9,000 trucks were ready to enter Gaza.
“Don’t waste time on those proposing alternative modalities for the distribution of aid. We already have a plan,” he said in a statement.
“We have people. We have distribution networks. We have community trust on the ground. And we are ready to move through 160,000 pallets of it.
“We request that civilians in need provide prompt, safe, unhindered assistance. Let us work.”
Israel has stopped invasions of food, medicine and all other essentials in Gaza since March 2. United Nations agencies and other humanitarian groups have warned that they will reduce food, fuel and drug supply to the territory of the 2.4 million Palestinians facing acute hunger.
Previously, the US and Israel have prepared plans to allow NGOs to resume aid, protecting supplies from Hamas’ hands.
Under the heavily criticized alternative aid plan, the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation aims to start work in Gaza by the end of May.
It will work with private US security and logistics companies to transport aid to Gaza and to a so-called secure hub where it will be distributed by aid groups, a source familiar with the plan told Reuters. It is unclear how the foundation will be funded.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has also asked Israel to allow humanitarian delivery by the United Nations and aid groups to resume now until the infrastructure is fully functional, saying this is essential to “reducing ongoing humanitarian pressures.”
However, the United Nations said it would not work with the foundation because its distribution plans are not fair, neutral or independent. Israel says the blockade, along with “military pressure,” is aimed at Hamas to release the remaining prisoners of war.
On Thursday, Hamas senior Basemnaim reiterated the group’s position that aid invasion into Gaza is a prerequisite for ceasefire talks with Israel.
“Access to food, water and medicine is a fundamental human right, not the subject of negotiation,” he said.
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