The foreign ministers from 28 nations, along with the European Union’s Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid, Hadja Lahbib, voiced strong condemnation of Israel’s actions in Gaza on Monday. They criticized the ongoing humanitarian crisis, highlighting what they termed the “drip feeding of aid” and the “inhumane killing of civilians, including children.”
The joint statement issued by the ministers from 20 EU member states, alongside representatives from the U.K., Japan, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, described the situation as horrifying, noting that over 800 Palestinians have lost their lives while attempting to secure essential needs such as water and food.
Israel’s Response to Criticism
In light of the statement, Israel’s foreign ministry responded, asserting that it “rejects the joint statement published by a group of countries, as it is disconnected from reality and sends the wrong message to Hamas.” The ministry pointed to a ceasefire proposal associated with the Trump administration, suggesting that, “At these sensitive moments in the ongoing negotiations, it is better to avoid statements of this kind.”
The ministers issued their statement following reports that over 100 individuals seeking aid from distribution sites and U.N. food trucks were killed due to Israeli military fire over the previous weekend. On the same day, Israel announced a new offensive in central Gaza.
Via social media, Israel’s foreign ministry claimed that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had “fired warning shots in order to remove an immediate threat posed to them” and contested the casualty figures, asserting that they do not correspond with their information.
Humanitarian Concerns and International Law
Israel accused Hamas militants of attempting to incite conflicts and emphasized that “the IDF views the transfer of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip as a matter of utmost importance.” They asserted their commitment to facilitating aid in collaboration with the international community.
However, this claim was challenged by the statement from Lahbib and the foreign ministers from various nations, including Austria, Belgium, and France. They stated, “The Israeli government’s aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity.” They described Israel’s denial of essential humanitarian assistance to civilians as unacceptable, urging compliance with international humanitarian law.
It is noteworthy that the statement was not endorsed by EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, or German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. Both Washington and Berlin have consistently supported Israel during its protracted conflict in Gaza, which began following Hamas’ attack on October 7, 2023. Nevertheless, Wadephul expressed his “deepest concern about the catastrophic humanitarian situation” in a message to his Israeli counterpart, advocating for the urgent implementation of agreements with the EU to enable humanitarian aid.