Thousands of residents of the Gaza Strip are on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe due to the blockade by Israel, which has caused a severe shortage of food and medicines
The region's civilians, deprived of access to necessary aid, are at risk of dying from starvation in the coming days unless the international community takes urgent measures to restore the delivery of humanitarian assistance. This alarming situation has raised collective concern among European Union diplomatic circles. On Friday, May 17, seven European country leaders – Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Slovenia, and Spain – issued a joint statement calling on Israeli authorities to urgently cease military operations in Gaza and create conditions for unhindered access for international humanitarian organizations to the affected region. “We cannot ignore the man-made humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza before our eyes. Over the past few weeks, more than 50,000 people — women, men, and children — have lost their lives. Even more residents are at risk of dying from hunger in the near future and in the coming days if immediate action is not taken,” the leaders’ joint statement reads. The threat of famine in Gaza has become especially acute this week when the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned that approximately 470,000 inhabitants of the sector are already on the brink of disaster due to the blockade of humanitarian deliveries and the restrictive Israeli bans. According to the WFP, over 116,000 tons of food have been prohibited from entering the sector, creating an unprecedented scale of survival crisis for the local population. In response, Israel has begun constructing new centers for the delivery of humanitarian resources. However, this initiative has faced criticism from the international community, as Israeli Foreign Minister Gedeon Sa’ar stated that these centers would help prevent theft of aid and assured that “Hamas should no longer benefit from it.” Nevertheless, critics insist that such steps do not solve the core problems and may be used for political manipulation. At the same time, diplomats also express concern over possible efforts by Israeli authorities to forcibly relocate Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank of the Jordan River. The European leaders emphasized that any forced expulsion of the population constitutes a serious violation of international law and is unacceptable in today’s world. “Any attempts at ethnic redistribution or forced displacement of the Palestinian population, regardless of the means, are violations of international norms and values. We strongly condemn any such actions and call upon all parties to refrain from human rights abuses. These undermine prospects for peace and security in the region,” the European diplomats stressed. In this critical moment, the international community is calling for swift and decisive actions aimed at ending military operations and restoring humanitarian access. European leaders emphasize that the responsibility for preserving the lives and dignity of civilians lies with all countries and the global community as a whole, and only through collective efforts can this humanitarian catastrophe be prevented — one that is already beginning to destroy entire generations beyond political ambitions.