Sweden and nine other countries urge Israel to take urgent measures to ensure international aid organizations can operate in Gaza and the West Bank. In a joint statement, the foreign ministers express serious concern over the catastrophic humanitarian situation. With winter's arrival, conditions for civilians in the area are worsening.
Sweden, along with Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Japan, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, has issued a joint statement urging Israel to facilitate humanitarian work in Gaza and the West Bank. The statement, signed by foreign ministers including Sweden's Maria Malmer Stenergard (M), emphasizes "serious concern over the renewed deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Gaza, which remains catastrophic".
With winter's harsh weather – including heavy rain and falling temperatures – civilians face terrible conditions. "1.3 million people still need acute protection", the ministers write. They demand that Israel allow the UN and its partners to continue their work, lift "unreasonable" restrictions on imports of dual-use goods, such as urgently needed medical equipment and protective gear, and open border crossings to increase the flow of humanitarian aid.
The background is Israel's announcement that several organizations, including Médecins Sans Frontières, may be barred from operating in Gaza from the new year. According to the responsible department, they do not meet new rules on sharing information about funding and staff, reports AP. Malmer Stenergard comments on X: "In a time when civilians in Gaza still face a catastrophic humanitarian situation, the threat of deregistration for a majority of our international non-governmental partners is deeply concerning".
The statement underscores the need for immediate action to counter the escalating crisis in an area where humanitarian efforts are crucial for the civilian population's survival.
