On Tuesday, December 30, 2025, the foreign ministers of Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Japan, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and Britain issued a joint statement expressing deep concern over the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza. 😟
The statement, published online by the British Foreign Office, urged Israel to allow non-governmental organizations to operate in a sustained and predictable way and to ensure the UN can continue its critical work in the Palestinian enclave.
"We express serious concerns about the renewed deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Gaza, which remains catastrophic," the ministers wrote.
They also called on Israel to lift what they described as "unreasonable restrictions" on key imports — including medical and shelter supplies — and to open border crossings to boost the flow of aid into Gaza.
This came after Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire in October 2025, following two years of intense Israeli military operations that were triggered by a deadly Hamas-led attack on Israeli communities in October 2023.
In response, Israel's Foreign Ministry posted on X that the ministers' statement was "false but unsurprising" and part of "a recurring pattern of detached criticism and one-sided demands on Israel, while deliberately ignoring the essential requirement of disarming Hamas."
Meanwhile, a global hunger monitor reported on December 19, 2025, that famine no longer existed in Gaza thanks to improved access for humanitarian and commercial food deliveries after the ceasefire.
However, humanitarian agencies warn that far more aid is still needed in the small, densely populated territory and accuse Israel of blocking essential items. Israel, for its part, says sufficient food enters Gaza and that distribution challenges lie within the territory itself.
The debate over aid access is likely to continue as Gaza's residents await more stable relief in the new year. 🤝
Reference(s):
10 countries voice concerns over Gaza humanitarian situation
cgtn.com
