LONDON: The United Kingdom and 27 other countries have issued a strong joint statement calling for an immediate end to the war in Gaza, warning that civilian suffering has “reached new depths.”

The declaration sharply criticizes Israel’s current aid distribution model, describing it as dangerous, destabilizing, and responsible for depriving Gazans of basic human dignity.

The signatories condemned what they termed the “drip feeding of aid” and the “inhumane killing of civilians,” including children, who were simply trying to access food and water.

According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, more than 100 Palestinians were killed by Israeli gunfire while waiting for food over the weekend, and at least 19 others died from malnutrition.

In total, the ministry claims over 800 Palestinians have been killed while attempting to obtain humanitarian aid. These claims come amid escalating violence and deepening humanitarian crisis across the Gaza Strip.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry rejected the statement, calling it “disconnected from reality” and accusing it of sending the wrong message to Hamas. The ministry further alleged that Hamas is actively obstructing aid efforts and spreading false narratives, instead of working toward a ceasefire or agreeing to a hostage-release deal.

The statement, which has drawn attention for its unusually candid tone, was signed by foreign ministers from the UK, Australia, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, and several other nations.

“The war in Gaza must end now,” the declaration begins, going on to describe the worsening situation on the ground and the grave toll on civilians.

In Parliament, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy echoed the statement’s concerns, telling lawmakers that a “litany of horrors” is unfolding in Gaza. He pointed to Israeli strikes that have killed “desperate, starving children,” and reiterated calls for an immediate ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access.

Meanwhile, the conflict continues to escalate. Israeli tanks entered the central Gaza city of Deir al-Balah for the first time, and reports from the Hamas-controlled health ministry claim dozens were killed near aid distribution points in both northern and southern Gaza.