Germany, France, and Britain sharply criticized Israel on Friday, accusing it of obstructing humanitarian aid and contributing to what they called a worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
In a joint statement, the three European powers called on Israel “to immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid and urgently allow the UN” and humanitarian groups to address what they described as “mass starvation.”
“The most basic needs of the civilian population, including access to water and food, must be met without any further delay,” they said. “Withholding essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable. Israel must uphold its obligations under international humanitarian law.”
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani echoed the criticism, stating that Italy cannot accept “carnage and famine” in Gaza.
The comments follow the warning of the Rome-based World Food Program, which claimed there is a “new and astonishing level of desperation” in Gaza, saying nearly one in three residents is going without food for days.
“Malnutrition is surging with 90,000 women and children in urgent need of treatment,” the agency declared, adding, “People are dying from lack of humanitarian assistance.”
The joint European statement also demanded an immediate ceasefire. “The time has come to end the war in Gaza,” they said.
Israeli security officials responded on Friday to claims of "famine" in Gaza City, clarifying that while the humanitarian situation in Gaza is difficult, there is no famine in the city.
Security officials state that alongside the successes in Operation Gideon’s Chariots, including the capture of 75% of the Gaza Strip, over two million of Gaza's residents are now confined to 25% of the area, in extremely crowded conditions.
Israel is preparing to bring more aid into the Strip, including the resumption of airdrops. According to the sources, the Jordanians are preparing to begin airdropping aid on Friday.
The IDF and the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) stressed that Hamas has created a false campaign, the "starvation campaign," aimed at pressuring Israel to end the war while simultaneously attempting to improve the conditions for negotiating a ceasefire deal in Doha.
On Thursday, a security source told Kan Reshet Bet radio that humanitarian aid trucks entering the Gaza Strip are regularly looted by both Hamas and Gazan civilians, with some incidents resulting in as much as half of the cargo being stolen.
The source indicated that Israel is preparing for the potential deployment of additional aid trucks as part of a possible agreement to secure the release of hostages, should such a deal be finalized.
On Wednesday, approximately 70 aid trucks from the UN and other humanitarian organizations entered Gaza via the Zikim crossing in the north and the Kerem Shalom crossing in the south. All vehicles underwent comprehensive security inspections prior to entry.
In parallel, the IDF coordinated with the UN and other international organizations to facilitate the collection of more than 150 aid trucks from the Gazan side of both crossings.
(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)