BERLIN, April 23, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - 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.