LOC16:53
13:53 GMT
CAIRO, Jan 2 (KUNA) -- Foreign ministers of eight Arab and Muslim states issued a joint appeal Friday, calling on the international community to exert pressure on the Israeli occupation government to immediately lift all impediments to the entry and distribution of life-saving humanitarian aid into the war-torn Gaza Strip.
The joint statement-endorsed by the foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Turkiye-emphasized the imperative of ensuring the "immediate and complete" delivery of essential supplies through the United Nations and its affiliated agencies.
Published via the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the statement underscores the worsening humanitarian catastrophe as winter conditions exacerbate the suffering of nearly 1.9 million displaced Palestinians.
It further called for the rehabilitation of infrastructure and hospitals and the opening of the Rafah crossing with Egypt in both directions, in accordance with the comprehensive plan presented by US President Donald Trump.
The statement expressed grave concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, exacerbated by harsh and unstable weather conditions, including heavy rains and storms.
This is compounded by the continued lack of sufficient humanitarian aid, a severe shortage of essential life-saving supplies, and the slow pace of deliveries of materials needed to rehabilitate basic services and construct temporary shelters, the statement regretted.
It emphasized that the severe weather has exposed the fragility of the existing humanitarian situation, particularly for displaced people living in inadequate shelters.
Flooded camps, damaged tents, collapsed buildings, and exposure to low temperatures, coupled with malnutrition, have significantly increased the risks to civilian lives, including the risk of disease outbreaks, especially among children, women, the elderly, and those with critical medical conditions, the statement clarified.
It commended the tireless efforts of UN agencies and organizations, particularly the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), and international humanitarian organizations for continuing to assist Palestinians under these extremely difficult and complex circumstances.
It called on the Israeli occupation to guarantee the ability of the United Nations and international non-governmental organizations to operate in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank in a sustainable and unrestricted manner, given their pivotal role in humanitarian response. It stressed that any attempt to obstruct their ability to operate is unacceptable.
It reaffirmed full support for Security Council Resolution 2803 and the comprehensive plan presented by US President Trump and expressed a commitment to contributing to their successful implementation.
It noted that the implementation of the US plan would ensure a sustainable ceasefire, end the war in Gaza, secure a dignified life for the Palestinian people, and pave the way for a credible path toward Palestinian self-determination and statehood.
The statement emphasized the urgent need to immediately begin and expand early recovery efforts, including providing durable and dignified shelter to protect the population from harsh winter conditions. (end)
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