International Leaders Urge Israel to Allow More Aid Into Gaza Amid Starvation Reports

International concern is mounting over the humanitarian situation in Gaza, where local authorities report more than 100 deaths from starvation amid severe restrictions on aid deliveries. Since March, Israel has limited most aid from entering the territory, with the U.S. and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation overseeing distribution since May. The U.N. Palestinian Refugee Agency (UNRWA) estimates that at least 1,000 people have been killed while seeking food from aid convoys and distribution points during this period, though Israel disputes these figures.

European Union foreign ministers, joined by counterparts from the U.K., Japan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid, issued a joint statement on Monday accusing Israel of denying assistance to Gaza's civilian population. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, "The killing of civilians seeking aid in Gaza is indefensible," and noted she had urged Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar to ensure the Israel Defense Forces halt violence at distribution sites.

Responding to the international criticism, Sa’ar described the joint statement as a "mistake," attributing some of the signatories' actions to "good intentions" and others to what he called an "obsession against Israel." He told Kallas that Hamas was responsible for creating dangerous conditions around aid distribution centers.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot called for Israel to grant journalists access to Gaza, following reports from the Agence France-Presse journalists’ association that their colleagues in the territory are facing starvation. Meanwhile, Saira Hussain, a British-Australian doctor working at Nasser Hospital in Gaza, described the situation as "forced starvation" and "torture," highlighting the escalating health crisis.