BERLIN, Apr 23: Germany, France and Britain on Wednesday called on Israel to stop blocking humanitarian aid into Gaza, warning of "an acute risk of starvation, epidemic disease and death".
"This must end," their foreign ministers said in a joint statement. "We urge Israel to immediately re-start a rapid and unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza in order to meet the needs of all civilians."
After 18 months of devastating war and an Israeli blockade on aid since March 2, the UN has warned of a dire humanitarian situation for the 2.4 million inhabitants of the Palestinian territory.
Israel has accused Palestinian militant group Hamas of diverting aid, which it denies.
The heads of 12 major aid organisations warned last Thursday that "famine is not just a risk, but likely rapidly unfolding in almost all parts" of the coastal territory.
"The Israeli decision to block aid from entering Gaza is intolerable," the three ministers said Wednesday.
They also criticised Defence Minister Israel Katz for "recent comments politicising humanitarian aid" and described Israeli plans to remain in Gaza after the war as "unacceptable".
"Humanitarian aid must never be used as a political tool and Palestinian territory must not be reduced nor subjected to any demographic change," they said.
Katz last week said Israel would continue preventing aid from entering Gaza, calling the blockade "one of the main pressure levers preventing Hamas from using (aid) as a tool with the population".
The foreign ministers also expressed "outrage at recent strikes by Israeli forces on humanitarian personnel, infrastructure, premises and healthcare facilities" in Gaza.
"Israel must do much more to protect the civilian population, infrastructure and humanitarian workers," they said. �"AFP
