Britain has joined Germany and France to warn that Israel could be in breach of international law by halting the entry of aid into Gaza, which is facing a “catastrophic” humanitarian crisis.
The foreign secretary, David Lammy, signed a joint statement with his French and German counterparts to urge Israel and Hamas to engage constructively to get ceasefire talks back on track.
Israel cut off humanitarian supplies to Gaza on Sunday in an effort to push Hamas into accepting a change in the ceasefire agreement to allow the release of hostages without an Israeli troop withdrawal.
The six-week-old ceasefire is in limbo with no sign of movement towards a second phase that was scheduled to have started last weekend.
The foreign ministers said in their joint statement that they shared “deep concern” over Israel’s decision to halt all goods and supplies going into Gaza, which they said risked violating international humanitarian law.
They urged Israel and Hamas to get back around the negotiating table to agree the next phases of a peace deal, to bring a permanent end to hostilities and a credible pathway to a two-state solution.
They said it was vital the ceasefire was maintained and that all Israeli hostages were released unconditionally and their “degrading” treatment brought to an end.
“We call on the government of Israel to abide by its international obligations to ensure full, rapid, safe and unhindered provision of humanitarian assistance to the population in Gaza,” the statement said.
“This includes supply of items such as medical equipment, shelter items, water and sanitation equipment, essential to meet humanitarian and early recovery needs in Gaza, but which face restrictions under Israel’s ‘dual use’ list.
“A halt on goods and supplies entering Gaza, such as that announced by the government of Israel would risk violating international humanitarian law. Humanitarian aid should never be contingent on a ceasefire or used as a political tool. We reiterate that the civilians of Gaza who have suffered so much must be allowed to return to their homes and rebuild their lives.”
During the 15 months of the Israel-Gaza war, Benjamin Netanyahu’s government repeatedly denied aid agencies’ claims that it was blocking humanitarian deliveries, blaming the very limited flow on other factors.
UN officials said before the ceasefire that widespread famine was imminent. In the six weeks of the first phase of the truce, deliveries returned to the prewar levels of about 600 trucks a day, mostly carrying food.
Aid officials said that even with the restoration of food deliveries, the lack of drinkable water, the near-complete destruction of Gaza’s hospitals and clinics, the lack of shelter in winter and the buildup of untreated sewage among the rubble could all be lethal to the surviving population of 2.2 million.
