Western nations Monday condemned the” drip feeding of aid” to starved Palestinians and “inhumane killing of civilians” in Israeli firing and urged an immediate end to Gaza war.
The call to end the devastating conflict came as United Nations and Gaza health officials said around 100 Palestinians were killed in Israeli fire on people on seeking aid at designated sites and elsewhere on Sunday, taking the death toll at food distribution centers to 1000.
The foreign ministers of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement alongside the European Union’s commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, asking Israel to comply with international humanitarian law.
“We, the signatories listed below, come together with a simple, urgent message: the war in Gaza must end now.”
The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths, the diplomats noted.
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“The Israeli government’s aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity. We condemn the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food. It is horrifying that over 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid.”
The aid is being administered through Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which the United Nations opposes.
“The Israeli Government’s denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable. Israel must comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law,” the Western nations said.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General António Guterres is appalled by the accelerating breakdown of humanitarian conditions in Gaza, where the last lifelines keeping people alive are collapsing, his Spokesperson said on Monday.
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Stéphane Dujarric was speaking to reporters at UN Headquarters in New York a day after dozens of Palestinians were killed seeking food aid.
“Civilians must be protected and respected, and they must never be targeted,” said Mr. Dujarric, noting that the population in Gaza remains gravely undersupplied with the basic necessities of life.
He stressed that “Israel has the obligation to allow and facilitate by all the means at its disposal the humanitarian relief provided by the United Nations and other humanitarian organizations.”
Disgusting! 25 nations put pressure on @Israel instead of savages of Hamas! Gaza suffers for 1 reason: Hamas rejects EVERY proposal. Blaming Israel is irrational.
Israel rejects 25 nation statement calling for end to Gaza war https://t.co/1X4oqRVKqv via @timesofisrael
— Ambassador Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) July 21, 2025
Israel reacted to the Western nations’ criticism by dismissing it as “disconnected from reality.”
The Israeli foreign ministry said the Western nations’ statement sends the wrong message to Hamas.”
“The statement fails to focus the pressure on Hamas and fails to recognize Hamas’ role and responsibility for the situation. Hamas is the sole party responsible for the continuation of the war and the suffering on both sides,” the Israeli statement said.
