Estonia and 22 other countries made a statement on Monday. They asked Israel to allow food aid into Gaza. The situation in Gaza is very bad. The UN and other organizations should be able to work there freely. The Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that Hamas should release hostages and everyone should strive for peace.
Representatives of 23 countries and the European Union said that Israel has blocked aid to Gaza for over two months. The people of Gaza desperately need food and medicine. Before the blockade, the UN and other organizations worked in Gaza during a very difficult time. They did so independently and impartially.
The Israeli government has approved a new aid model, but the UN and other organizations do not support it. They said that this model does not respect humanitarian principles. Humanitarian aid should not be political. Palestinian territory must not be altered.
The countries told Israel that they should allow aid into Gaza and let the UN work independently. Hamas must release hostages and allow the distribution of aid. Peace is needed to ensure security in the entire region.
On Monday, Israel promised to bring five trucks of aid into Gaza. The UN welcomed this but said it is very little aid. The Israeli Prime Minister said that food supplies will continue only if the Israeli military and private companies establish aid centers. At the same time, at least 40 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza.