Thank you to the United Kingdom and Jordan for convening us.
Australia joins this Call to Action because humanitarian and healthcare access is essential, especially in Gaza.
Colleagues, Gaza has gone beyond our worst fears.
Lifesaving aid must reach civilians safely, quickly and at scale.
That means removing impediments and access constraints.
Winter is coming and Gaza’s health system is broken.
Re-establishing it cannot wait.
We join partners in calling on Israel to ensure unhindered humanitarian assistance – including medical supplies and medical care – in line with the binding orders of the International Court of Justice.
Since October 7, 2023, Australia has committed more than $100 million in humanitarian assistance to civilians in urgent need in Gaza.
But aid cannot be delivered without the humanitarian workers who are dedicating their lives to assist the people of Gaza under the most challenging of conditions.
Gaza is one of the deadliest places in the world to be an aid worker.
We need collective action to protect them.
Yesterday, Jordan and Australia convened a meeting of signatories to the Declaration for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel.
The Declaration is a shared commitment by 130 countries – more than two-thirds of the UN – for stronger accountability, safer access, and better protection for aid workers.
We urge every country to join us to help drive practical action and uphold the rules that protect us all.