Italy joins Call to Action – Joint Statement on Health and Humanitarian Access into Gaza

Joint Statement delivered by Ambassador Sarah MacIntosh, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, on behalf of Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, ROK, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Slovakia, Spain, State of Palestine, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Türkiye, United Kingdom, European Commission, League of Arab States, OIC, who have joined a Call to Action led by the UK, the State of Qatar, and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on health and humanitarian access into Gaza.

The Comprehensive Peace Plan endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2803 provides for the immediate entry of full humanitarian assistance at levels no lower than those agreed on 19 January 2025. This has not yet been realised.

Since the ceasefire, we have seen that progress to improve the humanitarian situation is possible, when political will allows.

However, as winter sets in, far too many people in Gaza are still without adequate shelter, and risk exposure to hypothermia, respiratory infections, waterborne diseases and other preventable illnesses.

Constraints on the entry of critical shelter items and other lifesaving supplies continue to prevent humanitarian organisations from responding at the scale required.

Following elections in Israel, we reiterate our call to the incoming Government of Israel:

1. To allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access throughout Gaza, and through all available crossings and land routes.
2. To facilitate the full and predictable operation of the Egyptian and Jordanian humanitarian corridors.
3. To approve additional critical items including the ones considered “dual use” items, in particular related to shelter, fuel, water, sanitation, health supplies to prevent further deterioration of public health.
4. To restore the medical referral pathway to hospitals in East Jerusalem and the West Bank for those with illnesses and injuries that cannot be adequately treated in Gaza.
5. To ensure the protection of healthcare workers, healthcare facilities and medical transport in accordance with international humanitarian law.
6. To protect all notified humanitarian sites and guarantee the protection afforded to humanitarian and civilian personnel and infrastructure.
7. To open and expedite transparent criminal investigations into attacks against healthcare and humanitarian workers.
8. And to allow senior international delegations and journalists to access Gaza.

The countries gathered here today commit to supporting humanitarian efforts in Gaza by:

1. Providing support for urgent winterisation preparation efforts, including shelter, water, sanitation and health supplies to reduce suffering and mitigate public health risks.
2. By supporting the Palestinian Authority, working with the transitional National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, the United Nations and other humanitarian partners, to restore essential health services and rehabilitate health infrastructure.
3. And reaffirming the vital role of the United Nations and its agencies, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and other impartial international humanitarian organisations to deliver humanitarian assistance, as set out in UN Security Council Resolution 2803.