Germany criticizes Israel for 'not keeping promises' on Gaza aid

By Oliver Towfigh Nia

BERLIN (AA) - German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Monday criticized Israel for not allowing sufficient humanitarian aid into Gaza.

“Never in the last 12 months has so little aid come to the Gaza Strip as now. A large proportion of the more than 2 million people suffer from acute malnutrition and live in unimaginable conditions,” Baerbock said in a press statement.

“Israel's right to self-defense finds its limits in international humanitarian law. This includes that humanitarian access must be granted at all times and must never become a means of warfare. Again and again there were promises that were not kept,” she added.

Baerbock called on Israel to open all border crossings into Gaza for humanitarian aid.

“Before winter, nothing is more urgent than for the hostages to finally be released and for survival supplies - food, water, medicine, hygiene products, tents - to finally reach the people of Gaza. This requires the opening of all border crossings into Gaza for humanitarian aid,” the minister said.

“This requires full cooperation from all parties with the United Nations and aid organizations to create reliable and safe routes for aid deliveries and medical evacuations. The heavy fighting must finally stop and serious work must be done on a ceasefire. Because without a ceasefire, the dying will not stop, the suffering will not end,” she added.

Germany has time and again called the Gaza aid situation “dramatic”, calling on Israel to improve humanitarian conditions in the enclave since the war with Hamas broke out on Oct. 7, 2023.

Nearly 2 million people have been internally displaced in Gaza, according to the latest estimates from the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), and the population faces widespread shortages of food, water and medicine.

In northern Gaza, a month-long renewed offensive and tightened siege have led to catastrophic conditions, with an estimated 100,000 people completely cut off from humanitarian aid.

Israel reduced the daily number of humanitarian aid trucks allowed into the Gaza Strip to just 30 in October, the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said last week.

“This is the lowest in a long time, bringing the assistance back to the level of the beginning of the war,” Philippe Lazzarini said on X.

Since the start of the war, Israel has maintained strict closures on Gaza’s crossings, limiting essential goods and imposing significant restrictions on humanitarian aid, creating severe living conditions.

Lazzarini emphasized that the 30 daily trucks “cannot meet the needs of over 2 million people, many of whom are starving, sick, and in desperate conditions.”

He noted that these trucks “represent only 6% of the supplies (commercial and humanitarian) allowed into Gaza before the war.”

Israel has continued a devastating offensive on Gaza since an attack last year by Hamas, despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.

More than 43,600 people have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 102,900 others injured, according to local health authorities.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza. ​​​​​​​