Israel should respect its international obligations and allow humanitarian aid to reach the population of Gaza "in full, quickly, safely and without hindrance," the foreign ministers of Germany, Britain and France appealed today in a joint statement.
"The interruption of the entry of goods and other deliveries into the Gaza Strip, as announced by the Israeli government, could constitute a violation of international humanitarian law," the ministers warned, adding that "the delivery of humanitarian aid cannot be subordinated to a ceasefire or instrumentalized for political purposes."
Israel announced on Sunday its decision to halt the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip due to disagreements with the Palestinian Hamas over how to extend the ceasefire that came into effect on January 19th.
According to Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Star, humanitarian aid has become "the main source of income for the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas" in the Gaza Strip.
European ministers recalled that the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is catastrophic.
They simultaneously called for the unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and an end to the degrading treatment and humiliation that these hostages are suffering.
"We remain firmly in solidarity with their families and the Israeli people in the face of the terrorist attacks committed by Hamas on October 7, 2023," the ministers added.
The first phase of the ceasefire allowed the return of 33 hostages to Israel, eight of whom were dead, in exchange for the release of around 1.800 Palestinians from Israeli prisons.
Under the terms of the agreement, the second phase is supposed to allow the release of all remaining hostages held in Gaza in exchange for new releases of Palestinian prisoners from Israel. But Israel and Hamas have not agreed on the modalities for the transition to this new phase.
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