Joint statement on Gaza by the Foreign Ministers of Australia, Canada, Italy and the United Kingdom.
We, the Foreign Ministers of Australia, Canada, Italy and the United Kingdom, are clear that as winter takes hold in Gaza, the humanitarian situation on the ground is dire.
The recent floods have brought further suffering - and this was only the first storm of the winter.
People in Gaza desperately need shelter and humanitarian assistance.
Yet 150,000 tents and other vital supplies are being held at the border and prevented from entering Gaza.
This situation is entirely reversible – and there is still time to act before the winter fully sets in.
So we today urge the Government of Israel to stop the delays now and allow immediate, rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access throughout Gaza. The crossings must be opened, and the tents allowed in. Dual-use items necessary for humanitarian operations and early recovery must be granted entry before it is too late.
And all parties must implement the Comprehensive Plan for Gaza, respecting the ceasefire and their obligations under international humanitarian law, and allowing aid to reach the people who need it.