As Israeli airstrikes and tank fire pounded eastern districts of Gaza City overnight, a growing coalition of international allies, including the United Kingdom, issued a powerful joint statement demanding immediate and unrestricted humanitarian access to the besieged territory. The coordinated call to action comes as a global hunger monitoring system warns that a “full-scale famine” is now unfolding, a dire situation exacerbated by Israel’s planned offensive to take full military control of Gaza’s largest urban center.
The latest round of intense bombardment, which witnesses and medics say killed at least 11 people, marks a significant escalation in the 22-month war. The renewed offensive, approved by the security cabinet of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has drawn sharp criticism not only from global leaders but also from military officials and protesters in Israel, who fear the plan endangers the lives of the 50 remaining hostages.
In a joint statement released by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, foreign ministers from 25 countries—including Australia, Canada, and multiple European nations—declared that the humanitarian suffering in Gaza has reached “unimaginable levels.”
“Famine is unfolding before our eyes,” the statement read. “Urgent action is needed now to halt and reverse starvation.”
The statement, which notably did not include Germany, a traditionally staunch ally of Israel, called on the Israeli government to “provide authorization for all international NGO aid shipments and to unblock essential humanitarian actors from operating.” It also demanded that “all crossings and routes must be used to allow a flood of aid into Gaza.”
The warnings echo a recent report by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), which described the situation in Gaza as the “worst-case scenario of famine.” Local health officials have reported a rising number of starvation-related deaths, including children, a figure Israel disputes.
The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting over the weekend to discuss the situation, with a senior UN official warning that Netanyahu’s plan for a new offensive could trigger “another calamity in Gaza.” He said, “This is no longer a looming hunger crisis; this is starvation, pure and simple.”
Israel, for its part, has defended its actions, with Netanyahu asserting that “our goal is not to occupy Gaza, our goal is to free Gaza” from Hamas. He has also denied that there is a “starvation policy,” blaming aid delays on Hamas and claiming that the group is looting supplies.
However, the international pressure is mounting. The joint statement from the UK and its allies, combined with a separate call from The Elders group of global leaders, who for the first time labeled the situation an “unfolding genocide,” signals a significant shift in the global response. The calls for action are a stark reminder that while the military campaign continues, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is reaching a new and irreversible level of desperation.