Germany, France and the UK, known as the E3, on Wednesday called on Israel to immediately end its blockade on humanitarian aid entry to Gaza.
In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of the three European countries condemned Israel for blocking aid entry into Gaza for over 50 days, which expose Palestinian civilians, including one million children, to the risk of starvation, epidemic disease and death.
Blockade Lifting
“This must end. We urge Israel to immediately re-start a rapid and unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza in order to meet the needs of all civilians,” the statement said, describing the Israeli decision to block aid from entering Gaza as “intolerable.”
Furthermore, the minister emphasized that “humanitarian aid must never be used as a political tool and Palestinian territory must not be reduced nor subjected to any demographic change,” calling on Israel to adhere to international law by allowing the unhindered passage of humanitarian aid.
Protecting Humanitarian Workers
“Israel must ensure unhindered access for the UN and humanitarian organizations to operate safely across Gaza,” the statement added.
The E3 foreign ministers denounced Israel’s targeting of humanitarian workers and medical facilities. “We reiterate our outrage at recent strikes by Israeli forces on humanitarian personnel, infrastructure, premises and healthcare facilities. Israel must do much more to protect the civilian population, infrastructure and humanitarian workers,” they noted.
Restoring Ceasefire
Moreover, the foreign ministers of France, Germany and the UK urged all parties to return to a ceasefire and free hostages. “We urge all parties to return to a ceasefire. We continue to call on Hamas for the immediate release of all the remaining hostages, who are enduring terrible suffering,” the statement said.
They also highlighted the importance of implementing the two-state solution. “We must all work towards the implementation of a two-state solution, which is the only way to bring long-lasting peace and security to both Israelis and Palestinians and ensure long-term stability in the region,” they added.
