Joint statement on the humanitarian situation in Gaza
Wire desk byline Sourced from Xinhua, Dawn, Arab News, Anadolu and Minute Mirror. Translated and abridged by the GSRRA Desk.
Joint statement on behalf of 27 partners on aid to Gaza and restrictions facing NGOs
The humanitarian suffering in Gaza has reached unimaginable levels. Famine is unfolding before our eyes. Urgent action is needed now to halt and reverse starvation. Humanitarian space must be protected, and aid should never be politicised.
However, due to restrictive new registration requirements, essential international NGOs may be forced to leave the Occupied Palestinian Territories imminently which would worsen the humanitarian situation still further. We call on the government of Israel to provide authorisation for all international NGO aid shipments and to unblock essential humanitarian actors from operating. Immediate, permanent and concrete steps must be taken to facilitate safe, large-scale access for the UN, international NGOs and humanitarian partners. All crossings and routes must be used to allow a flood of aid into Gaza, including food, nutrition supplies, shelter, fuel, clean water, medicine and medical equipment. Lethal force must not be used at distribution sites, and civilians, humanitarians and medical workers must be protected.
We are grateful to the US, Qatar and Egypt for their efforts in pushing for a ceasefire and pursuing peace. We need a ceasefire that can end the war, for hostages to be released and aid to enter Gaza by land unhindered.
This statement has been signed by:
The Foreign Ministers of Australia, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.
Kaja Kallas, Dubravka Šuica and Hadja Lahbib.
Responsibilities
The mission of the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) is to ensure a swift, effective, and coordinated EU response to crises and disasters worldwide. Guided by the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence, DG ECHO provides humanitarian assistance and civil protection support to save lives, alleviate suffering, and safeguard human dignity.
By mobilising resources through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and humanitarian aid programs, DG ECHO ensures that aid reaches those in need quickly and efficiently. Operating from its headquarters in Brussels and a network of field offices, it works closely with Member States, international organisations, and local partners to deliver targeted, needs-based assistance.
European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations website
Reference Link:- https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/news-stories/news/joint-statement-humanitarian-situation-gaza-2025-08-12_en
Zamir Ahmed Awan is the founder and Chair of the Global Silk Route Research Alliance, a think tank in Islamabad. He studied engineering at Shanghai University in the 1980s, and years later he went back to China as Pakistan's science counsellor in Beijing, from 2010 until 2016, working on science and higher education cooperation between the two countries.…
