German Development Minister Reem Alabali Radovan on Tuesday criticised her government for not signing a declaration by more than two dozen countries that demands an immediate end to the Israeli war on Gaza.
"I would have liked Germany to join the signal sent by the 29 partners. What is happening in Gaza right now is incomprehensible. Innocent children are dying. People are starving," Alabali Radovan told the Rheinische Post newspaper.
"An immediate and lasting ceasefire is needed now—not at some point in the future," she added, while reiterating that the demands in the letter were “understandable.”
Alabali Radovan stressed the need to protect civilians in Gaza and allow much-needed humanitarian aid into the Palestinian enclave.
"The civilian population in Gaza must not be further crushed between the front lines. Children, families, the elderly – they need water, food, medical care, and security," she said.
"International law must be respected! Allow aid deliveries to pass through unhindered! Allow safe humanitarian corridors and unhindered access for the UN and humanitarian organisations!"
The foreign ministers of 25 countries and the EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, condemned on Monday Israel's “inhumane killing” of civilians in Gaza, in a statement, and demanded an immediate end to the war and said the suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached "new depths."
"The Israeli government’s aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity," it said.
"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."
Labelling the killing of more than 800 Palestinians seeking aid since the start of operations by the controversial so-called ‘Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’ in late May as "horrifying," the statement noted that Israel’s denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is "unacceptable."
"Israel must comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law," said the statement that was signed by 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 UK as well as the EU commissioner.
