Britain, France, Germany Accuse Israel Of ‘Gaza Catastrophe’
By Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief
JERUSALEM/BERLIN/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Britain, France, and Germany blamed Israel for the “humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza and demanded that Israel lift “restrictions” on aid.
The statement came a day after French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that France would become the first Group of Seven (G7) nation to officially recognise a Palestinian state in September, which would include Gaza.
Israel called the move “a reward for terror,” referring to the massacre by Hamas, the designated Palestinian terror group. The Hamas killing of more than 1,200 people in Israel and the abduction of about 250 others on October 7, 2023, sparked the current war.
Yet the British, French, and German leaders urged “the Israeli government to immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid” and “urgently” allow the United Nations and humanitarian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to carry out their work in order to take action against starvation.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said, “the most basic needs of the civilian population, including access to water and food, must be met without any further delay”.
In their joint statement released by Berlin, they stressed that “Withholding essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable,” they said.
“Israel,” they said, “must uphold its obligations under international humanitarian law.”
Israel has strongly denied that it is deliberately withholding aid from innocent civilians. It has accused Hamas of stealing aid, contributing to high food prices.
MASS STARVATION?
However, more than 100 aid and human rights groups warned this week that “mass starvation” was spreading in Gaza after more than 21 months of war.
Israel rejected accusations it is responsible for the deepening crisis in Gaza, which the World Health Organization has called “man-made”.
Western officials say Israel placed the Gaza Strip under “an aid blockade in March,” which it eased two months later by sidelining the longstanding U.N.-led distribution system.
Israel has accused U.N. staff members of giving support to Hamas and even involvement in the October 7 attacks, the worst atrocities against Jews since the Holocaust, also known as the Shoah.
Critics also say that Israel’s critics conveniently overlook the ongoing blockade by Egypt of its border with Gaza.
Yet the European leaders focused on Israel, saying, “The time has come to end the war in Gaza.” They added: “We urge all parties to bring an end to the conflict by reaching an immediate ceasefire.”
The European leaders said they “stand ready to take further action to support an immediate ceasefire and a political process that leads to lasting security and peace for Israelis, Palestinians and the entire region.”
MANY KILLED
Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has so far killed 59,676 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza. Those figures have been difficult to verify independently as Gaza authorities do not distinguish between killed combatants and civilians in the Hamas-run territory.
Of the 251 hostages taken from Israel during the October 7 attack, 49 are still being held in Gaza, including 27, the Israeli military says, “are dead.”
Talks on ending the war ended inconclusively Thursday as U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff said the United States
is cutting short Gaza ceasefire talks and bringing home its negotiating team from Qatar for consultations, after the latest response from Hamas “shows a lack of desire to reach a ceasefire in Gaza.”
The talks have been bogged down over competing demands for ending the war, according to sources familiar with the negotiations. Hamas says it will only release all hostages in exchange for a complete Israeli withdrawal and an end to the war.
Israel says it will not agree to end the war until Hamas gives up power and disarms — a condition the group rejects. Amid the standoff, four leading news organizations said Thursday that their journalists there “are facing the threat of starvation.”
The joint statement by news agencies The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, Reuters, and British broadcaster BBC called on Israel to allow journalists in and out of Gaza and adequate food supplies into the territory.
Israel has denied wrongdoing, saying Hamas is using the local population as human shields. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also released video footage of Palestinians allegedly welcoming the arrival of food supplies and waving and applauding Israeli troops.
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