France, UK, Germany urge Israel to open Gaza crossings for aid

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - The foreign ministers of France, the UK and Germany in a joint appeal called on Israel to immediately open crossing points into Gaza and ensure the safe and unhindered distribution of humanitarian aid in the region, the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement released Monday.

"France, the UK and Germany call on Israel to comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law and guarantee the protection of civilians," the statement said.

"Winter is approaching in Gaza -- and with it rain and cold. The Israeli government must ensure that the UN can implement its winter plan. The people in Gaza need much more humanitarian aid now," it added.

Israel has launched a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas in October last year, killing more than 44,400 people, most of them women and children, and injuring over 105,000.

The second year of the genocide in Gaza has drawn growing international condemnation, with officials and institutions labeling the attacks and blocking of aid deliveries as a deliberate attempt to destroy a population.

On Nov. 21, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its deadly war on Gaza.