LONDON, United Kingdom — A coalition of ten nations has issued a stark warning regarding the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Gaza, describing the situation as catastrophic as winter weather intensifies the suffering of civilians.
The foreign ministers of Britain, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Japan, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland released a joint statement through the UK’s Foreign Office expressing profound concern. They highlighted that approximately 1.3 million people remain in desperate need of urgent shelter support amid heavy rainfall and dropping temperatures.
The statement detailed a collapsing infrastructure system, with more than half of health facilities operating only partially while facing critical shortages of medical equipment and supplies. The complete breakdown of sanitation infrastructure has left 740,000 people exposed to toxic flooding hazards.
This international appeal comes amid heightened diplomatic tensions. The previous day, U.S. President Donald Trump had presented a united front with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, warning Hamas there would be “hell to pay” if the militant group fails to disarm in Gaza. Trump asserted that Israel had fulfilled its commitments under the fragile ceasefire arrangement, placing responsibility squarely on Hamas.
While acknowledging progress toward ending violence and securing the release of Israeli hostages, the ten nations emphasized they “will not lose focus on the plight of civilians in Gaza.” They called on the Israeli government to implement several “urgent and essential” measures, including ensuring sustained and predictable operational conditions for international NGOs working in the territory.
The ministers specifically highlighted concerns that many established international NGO partners risk deregistration by December 31 due to Israel’s newly implemented restrictive requirements. They further urged the lifting of “unreasonable restrictions on imports considered to have a dual use,” particularly medical and shelter equipment, while advocating for continued UN operations in the region.