Western Nations Urge Israël to Allow Immediate Humanitarian Access to Gaza Amid Floods
Foreign ministers from Canada, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Australia called on Israel on Sunday to grant humanitarian organizations immediate and unhindered access to the Gaza Strip following torrential rains.
The joint diplomatic appeal follows severe flooding that destroyed tens of thousands of tents housing displaced Palestinians and left five people dead, including three children, according to Palestinian rescue services cited by La Presse.
“We urge the government of Israel today […] to allow immediate, rapid and unobstructed humanitarian access across all of Gaza,” wrote the foreign ministers of Canada, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Australia, as reported by Le Monde.
The ministers said that 150,000 tents and vital supplies remain blocked at the border, unable to enter the besieged territory as winter approaches. Similar demands were issued on Saturday, November 14, 2026, by European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, who urged authorities to reopen all border crossings, TVA Nouvelles reported.
“Israël doit faciliter le travail de l’ONU et de ses agences, ainsi que celui des organisations humanitaires, dont les ONG, et se conformer à toutes ses obligations en vertu du droit international, notamment le droit international humanitaire et le droit international relatif aux droits de l’homme,” a insisté la responsable européenne.
Heavy rainfall hit the region over the weekend, causing water levels to reach up to 1.5 meters in certain areas and affecting over 26,000 families, according to United Nations figures noted by Les As de l’info. Roughly 70,000 tents suffered structural damage or flooding during the initial storm, alongside 55 schools sheltering displaced children.
The humanitarian strain compounds an already severe crisis across the enclave, where UNICEF estimates that 1.7 million displaced individuals live in tents, makeshift shelters, or damaged structures. Last winter, eleven children died of hypothermia in the territory.
The diplomatic push coincides with strained compliance regarding a ceasefire agreement that went into effect in October 2025, following a two-year conflict that began with the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas. Both sides currently accuse each other of violating the agreement terms.
Signatories to the déclaration commune des ministres emphasized that double-use goods necessary for humanitarian relief and rapid recovery must be authorized immediately. Humanitarian agencies continue to warn of rising health risks as contaminated water spreads through makeshift settlements lacking operational purification infrastructure.