Joint statement on Gaza from the EU and 24 countries

The EU and 24 countries have issued a joint statement regarding the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. The statement said, "The human suffering in Gaza has reached unimaginable proportions. Famine is unfolding before our eyes. Urgent action is needed to stop and reverse this starvation. Humanitarian space must be protected and aid must never be politicized."

The statement called on Israel to lift the obstacles it imposes on humanitarian aid, noting that due to Israel's new restrictive registration requirements, major international NGOs may soon be forced to leave the occupied Palestinian territories, adding, "This would further worsen the humanitarian situation. We call on the Israeli government to allow all international NGO aid shipments and to remove the obstacles preventing key humanitarian actors from operating."

Emphasizing that all crossings and routes must be used to ensure the flow of aid to Gaza, the statement said, "Lethal force must not be used in distribution zones, and civilians, humanitarian aid workers, and healthcare personnel must be protected."

Expressing gratitude to the US, Qatar, and Egypt for their efforts toward a ceasefire, the statement said, "We need a ceasefire that will end the war, the release of hostages, and the unhindered entry of aid into Gaza by land."

The joint statement was signed by the foreign ministers of Australia, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, as well as by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Suica, and EU Commissioner for Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib.