A coalition of 53 nations and international organizations, including Türkiye, has issued a formal demand for Israel to permit rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access into the Gaza Strip. The statement was delivered on Thursday at United Nations headquarters by Sarah MacIntosh, the UK’s permanent representative to the UN, on behalf of the signatories of the Gaza Call to Action on Humanitarian Access and Health.
The initiative, which is led by the United Kingdom, Qatar, and Jordan, highlights that the comprehensive peace plan endorsed by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803 has yet to be fully realized. MacIntosh emphasized that the plan requires the immediate entry of full humanitarian assistance at levels no lower than those previously agreed upon on 19 January 2025. She noted that while progress in the humanitarian sphere is achievable when political will is present, the onset of winter has left many Gazans in dire conditions. She warned that a significant portion of the population remains without adequate shelter, facing heightened risks of hypothermia, respiratory infections, waterborne diseases, and other preventable health issues.
Following recent elections in Israel, the coalition reiterated its call for the incoming government to facilitate access throughout Gaza using all available land routes and crossings. The group further urged Israel to restore the medical referral pathway to hospitals in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, allow international journalists and senior delegations access to the territory, and expedite transparent criminal investigations into attacks targeting healthcare and humanitarian personnel.
In a show of support for relief operations, the signatory countries pledged to bolster humanitarian efforts by providing resources for urgent winterization preparations. This includes essential supplies for shelter, water, sanitation, and health services aimed at reducing suffering and mitigating public health risks in the region.
