Israeli Foreign Ministry Rejects Humanitarian Group's Statement On Mass Starvation In Gaza

Illustration of aid trucks to Gaza. (Twitter/@cogatonline)

JAKARTA - Israel rejected statements that more than 100 aid organizations and human rights groups warning "mass fields" had spread to Gaza, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"These organizations serve Hamas propaganda, use their numbers, justify their horror, instead of challenging the terror organization, they embrace it as their own," the ministry said, quoted by The Times of Israel July 24.

"In these critical times of negotiations, they echoed Hamas propaganda and undermined ceasefire opportunities; we urge all organizations to stop using Hamas points of conversation," the ministry continued.

Earlier, more than 100 humanitarian groups on Wednesday called for governments from various countries around the world to take action as hunger spreads across the Gaza Strip, Palestine, including demanding an immediate and permanent ceasefire and lifting of all restrictions on the flow of humanitarian aid.

In a statement signed by 111 organizations, including the Mercy Corps, Norwegian Refugee Council and Refugees International, the groups warned of mass hunger spreading in the Palestinian enclave, when tons of food, clean water, medical supplies, and other items were abandoned outside Gaza because humanitarian organizations were blocked from accessing or sending them.

"Along the Israeli government's siege of hunger for the Gaza people, aid workers are now joining the same food line, risking being shot just to feed their families. With the supplies now completely exhausted, humanitarian organizations watching their own colleagues and partners waste in vain in front of their eyes," the organizations said.

Restrictions, delays and fragmentation of the Israeli government under its total siege have created chaos, hunger and death, they said.

The organizations call for the government to demand the lifting of all bureaucratic and administrative restrictions, the opening of all land crossings, guarantees of access to all people in Gaza, the rejection of military-controlled distributions, and the restoration of "the principled and led humanitarian response of the United Nations."

Countries must take concrete steps to end the siege, such as stopping the transfer of weapons and ammunition, they said.

Israel's Foreign Ministry said nearly 4,500 trucks had entered Gaza since May 19, including 2,500 tonnes of baby food and high-calorie children's food.

The ministry added that there are more than 700 trucks containing aid inside Gaza awaiting distribution by the United Nations.

"This position is a major obstacle to maintaining a consistent flow of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip," the Foreign Ministry said.

"Obsession of them against Israel is more important to them than helping the Gazan people," he said.