The UK and 27 other countries have issued a joint statement calling for an immediate end to the war in Gaza, condemning what they describe as the “inhumane killing” of civilians trying to access food and water.
The statement denounces Israel’s current aid delivery system as dangerous and destabilizing, saying it deprives Palestinians of dignity and sustenance. It highlights what the governments call a “drip-feeding” of aid and warns that over 800 Palestinians have died while seeking food.
Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry reports that more than 100 people were killed by Israeli fire over the weekend as they waited for aid. An additional 19 people have reportedly died from malnutrition.
Israel’s foreign ministry rejected the joint condemnation, describing it as “disconnected from reality” and accusing Hamas of sabotaging aid efforts and spreading misinformation.
A Rare Unified International Rebuke
The declaration, notable for its sharp tone, was signed by the foreign ministers of countries including the UK, France, Canada, Japan, Australia, Italy, New Zealand, and Switzerland.
“The war in Gaza must end now,” the statement reads. “The suffering of civilians has reached new depths. The Israeli government’s aid delivery model fuels instability and undermines human dignity. We condemn the killing of civilians—including children—who are simply trying to access water and food.”
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy echoed the urgency in Parliament, describing a “litany of horrors” in Gaza and announcing an additional £40 million in UK humanitarian aid.
“I remain a steadfast supporter of Israel’s right to exist and its security,” Lammy said. “But what we are witnessing is doing untold damage to Israel’s global standing and long-term security.”
UN: ‘Last Lifelines Are Collapsing’
The spokesperson for UN Secretary General António Guterres said the humanitarian situation in Gaza is collapsing.
“Israel has a legal obligation to ensure humanitarian relief reaches civilians by any means possible.”
Since May, when Israel partially lifted its 11-week total blockade, nearly daily reports of civilian deaths near aid distribution points have emerged. The new system—managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) and supported by the US—uses private contractors to distribute food within Israeli military-controlled zones.
However, the UN and major aid groups refuse to participate, calling the system unsafe and in violation of humanitarian principles of neutrality and independence.
Casualties Mount at Aid Sites
The UN Human Rights Office reports 674 people killed near GHF aid sites since they began eight weeks ago. Another 201 people were reportedly killed near aid convoys.
In the past weekend alone:
- 39 people were killed near GHF sites in Khan Younis and Rafah, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
- 67 people were reportedly shot while approaching a UN aid convoy in northern Gaza.
The Israeli military says troops fired warning shots in both cases to deter “suspects” and “immediate threats.”
Humanitarian Catastrophe Deepens
The World Food Programme (WFP) warns that Gaza’s hunger crisis has “reached new levels of desperation.”
“People are dying from lack of assistance. Malnutrition is surging, with 90,000 women and children in urgent need of care,” the agency said.
According to Gaza’s health ministry, 19 people have died of hunger since Saturday. Hospitals are unable to feed patients, and staff are reportedly collapsing from starvation.
“We can’t even provide milk for infants,” said Dr. Khalil al-Daqran from Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah. “Baby formula has disappeared from the market. Our staff can’t continue under these conditions.”
Local markets remain shuttered due to food shortages.
“My children cry all night from hunger,” said Mohammad Emad al-Din, a barber in Gaza. “We’ve had only lentils for three days. Bread is gone. A kilo of flour cost $80 last week.”
