Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Welcomes the Joint Statement Issued by the Foreign Ministers of 26 States, including Australia, and Urgently Calls for Official International Visits to the Gaza Strip
Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Welcomes the Joint Statement Issued by the Foreign Ministers of 26 States, including Australia, and Urgently Calls for Official International Visits to the Gaza Strip
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the State of Palestine welcomes the Joint Statement issued by the Foreign Ministers of 26 states around the world (including Australia), as well as High Representatives and Commissioners of the European Union, which warns of the severity of the humanitarian suffering in the Gaza Strip and the catastrophic, unbearable levels it has reached.
The Joint Statement calls on the Israeli government to allow the unhindered entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip by land and to unblock essential humanitarian actors from operating. The signatories further stress the need for urgent action to immediately stop and reverse the ongoing starvation, rejecting any politicisation of humanitarian aid and expressing their support for the efforts of mediators in pushing for a ceasefire. The Joint Statement is clear: “Lethal force must not be used at distribution sites, and civilians, humanitarians and medical workers must be protected.”
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry calls on all states, international and regional organisations, and the United Nations to swiftly translate this international consensus into practical, concrete steps that are binding on Israel, the occupying power, to compel it to stop its escalating crimes against Palestinian civilians. The Ministry further calls on them in this context to step up official international visits to the Gaza Strip, accompanied by media professionals and journalists.
The Ministry also emphasises the immense importance of activating the role of the United Nations and the UN Security Council to oversee the implementation of relevant UN resolutions, the adoption of the recent New York Declaration, and the urgent implementation of its outcomes.
The General Delegation of Palestine in Canberra commends the Australian government for endorsing this principled Joint Statement, which contributes to the growing global momentum pushing for an immediate end to the unbearable collective suffering of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip.