Germany, France, UK call for immediate resumption of Gaza aid deliveries

The foreign ministers of Germany, France and the United Kingdom call on Israel to restart the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip in a joint statement.

“Humanitarian aid must never be used as a political tool,” reads the statement, which marks today as the 50th day since Israel imposed a total blockade on aid entering the Strip after the collapse of a ceasefire with the Hamas terror group.

“Humanitarians must be able to deliver aid to those who need it most, independent of parties to the conflict and in accordance with their humanitarian principles,” continues the statement, declaring that “Israel must ensure unhindered access for the UN and humanitarian organizations to operate safely across Gaza.”

“Hamas must not divert aid for their own financial gain or use civilian infrastructure for military purposes,” it adds.

IDF officials have said that the halt on the entry of humanitarian aid has helped weaken Hamas in recent weeks during the renewed military campaign in Gaza, as before the ceasefire ended, much of the aid would be captured by the terror group. It would then either use the consignments of supplies or sell them to the population at increased prices, to pay for the salaries of its operatives and to recruit more members.

The joint statement calls for Israel to do more to protect Gazan civilians, for Hamas to immediately release the remaining 59 hostages, and for all parties to return to a ceasefire.

The foreign ministers criticize Defense Minister Israel Katz’s “recent comments politicizing humanitarian aid and Israeli plans to remain in Gaza after the war.”

Katz said last Wednesday that Israel has no intention of allowing humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip until a “civilian” mechanism is established to bypass Hamas’s control of supplies, and that the IDF would remain in buffer zones “in any temporary or permanent reality in Gaza” to protect nearby Israeli communities.

Reports recently surfaced that during last night’s security cabinet meeting, the defense minister informed the cabinet that Israel would have no choice but to resume aid deliveries within the next week or two, but must ensure that it does not reach Hamas, though an Israeli official told The Times of Israel today that “no decision has been made” on the matter.