A coalition of ten nations has issued a stark warning regarding the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip. The foreign ministers of Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Japan, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom collectively expressed grave concerns about the catastrophic situation unfolding in the region.
According to the joint statement released through the British Foreign Office, civilians in Gaza are enduring appalling living conditions exacerbated by harsh winter weather. Heavy rainfall and dropping temperatures have created additional hardships for a population already suffering from severe shortages of food and inadequate access to healthcare facilities.
The ministerial coalition called upon the Israeli government to ensure sustained and predictable operations for international non-governmental organizations working in Gaza. They emphasized the critical need for the United Nations and its partner agencies to maintain uninterrupted aid delivery throughout the territory. Specific demands included lifting restrictions on dual-use imports and opening additional border crossings to facilitate humanitarian assistance.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian government has urgently appealed to international organizations and UN agencies to implement immediate protective measures for Gaza residents facing successive winter storms and extreme weather conditions. Officials in Ramallah specifically requested the entry of mobile homes and emergency shelter supplies into the territory.
In a separate development, medical charity Doctors Without Borders faces potential expulsion from Gaza for non-compliance with new Israeli registration requirements for relief agencies. The organization, which provided medical care to approximately 500,000 people during the two-year Gaza conflict, warns that deregistration would eliminate life-saving medical assistance for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians.
The Israeli military agency COGAT, which coordinates aid operations, stated that the charity refused to provide employee lists to Israel’s Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism. The ministry claims individuals affiliated with the organization have links to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, allegations that Doctors Without Borders vehemently denies as unsubstantiated.
The Gaza situation reflects broader global concerns expressed by outgoing UN refugee chief Filippo Grandi, who warned that increasing geopolitical fragmentation is fueling conflicts worldwide and exacerbating hostility toward refugees. Grandi noted that the world has become ‘totally unable to make peace,’ creating dangerous repercussions for vulnerable populations fleeing violence.