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Since October 2023, the death toll from starvation and malnutrition has climbed to 227, including 103 children.

LONDON/BRUSSELS, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) — Twenty-four foreign ministers from Britain, France, Australia, and other countries have jointly pledged to allow humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, stressing that the humanitarian suffering in Gaza has reached what they called “unimaginable levels.”

In an online statement co-signed by senior European Union (EU) officials, the ministers stated: “Humanitarian space must be protected, and aid should never be politicised” in the context of Gaza.

They warned of famine in the enclave, saying: “Urgent action is needed now to halt and reverse starvation.”

The ministers urged the Israeli government to authorize all international non-governmental organization aid shipments and to unblock essential humanitarian actors from operating. “All crossings and routes must be used to allow a flood of aid into Gaza, including food, nutrition supplies, shelter, fuel, clean water, medicine, and medical equipment,” the statement said.

The appeal comes as Gaza is experiencing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis that has worsened since March, when Israeli authorities closed all crossings into the Strip.

Signatories of the statement include foreign ministers of Britain, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. EU officials who signed included Kaja Kallas, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Dubravka Suica, EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean and Hadja Lahbib, EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management.

On Tuesday, as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported ongoing operations throughout Gaza, hospitals there reported five deaths due to starvation and malnutrition in the past 24 hours, including two children. This brought the death toll from starvation and malnutrition since October 2023 to 227, including 103 children.

Israeli authorities have repeatedly denied responsibility for the spread of famine in Gaza, prompting a global outcry. In July, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted on social media, denying starvation and any policy to cause it.

In response to Israel’s continuous military operations and restrictions on humanitarian aid, more countries have voiced support for Palestinian human rights. Calls from the international community to implement the two-state solution have grown stronger.

On July 24, French President Emmanuel Macron said that France will officially recognize the State of Palestine during the upcoming 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September. On Monday, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also announced that Australia will formally recognize the State of Palestine in September.