25 Nations Demand Gaza Aid Flow, Condemn ‘Inhumane Killing’
New Zealand Joins International Call for End to War Restrictions
New Zealand has added its voice to a coalition of 25 countries demanding an end to the current conflict in Gaza, strongly criticizing what they label the “inhumane killing of Palestinians.” The joint statement also decried the Israeli government’s approach to aid delivery as “dangerous.”
Aid Delivery Model Under Fire
The signatory nations, including major powers like Britain, France, Canada, and Australia, expressed profound concern over the restricted flow of humanitarian supplies. They specifically condemned the “drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food.”
The statement highlighted the “horrifying” statistic of over 800 civilians killed while attempting to access aid, with a significant portion of these casualties occurring at food distribution sites. The countries are urging the Israeli government to “immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid and to urgently enable the UN and humanitarian NGOs to do their life saving work safely and effectively.”
Furthermore, the group unequivocally rejected proposals to relocate Gaza’s Palestinian population into a so-called ‘humanitarian city,’ labeling permanent forced displacement as a violation of international humanitarian law. The countries signaled their readiness to pursue “further action” to support an immediate ceasefire.
Israel Responds to Criticism
In response, Israel’s foreign ministry dismissed the joint statement as “disconnected from reality,” warning it sends the wrong message to Hamas. An Israeli statement asserted that the declaration “fails to focus the pressure on Hamas and fails to recognise Hamas’s role and responsibility for the situation.”
New Zealand’s Stance
New Zealand’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Winston Peters, explained his country’s participation, stating it was a means to make its voice heard regarding the “dire” humanitarian circumstances in Gaza. He expressed that patience had worn thin.
“The tipping point was some time ago… it’s gotten to the stage where we’ve just lost our patience…”
—Winston Peters, Foreign Affairs Minister
Peters indicated he is awaiting the reaction to this condemnation. He noted the protracted nature of the Middle East conflict, observing it has moved from a situation where initial actions were “excusable, due to the October 7 conflict, to inexcusable as innocent people are being swept into it.”
“I do think there has to be change. It must happen now.”
—Winston Peters, Foreign Affairs Minister
The conflict escalated following the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas-led militants on Israel, which resulted in 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages taken, according to Israeli figures. Israel’s subsequent military operations in Gaza have led to over 56,000 Palestinian fatalities, as reported by Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry. The war has displaced nearly the entirety of Gaza’s population of over two million people and exacerbated a severe hunger crisis. For instance, in May 2024, the UN reported that one in four people in Gaza faced catastrophic levels of hunger (OCHA, May 2024).
