G20 leaders urge immediate action to address Gaza’s humanitarian catastrophe amid famine and aid blockade
RIO DE JANEIRO – Leaders from the Group of 20 major economies issued on Monday a joint statement expressing “deep concern about the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.”
The statement stressed the urgent need to address the severe famine in the Gaza Strip, which coincides with a report from the International Rescue Committee (IRC) revealing that over 80% of humanitarian aid is being blocked by the Zionist occupation.
“Affirming the Palestinian right to self-determination, we reiterate our unwavering commitment to the vision of the two-state solution,” said the statement.
The statement also tackled the Zionist escalation in Lebanon, calling for an increase in humanitarian aid and enhanced protection for civilians.
In his briefing to the UN Security Council session on Monday, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, said that after a year of horrific war and bloodshed in the Middle East, the region is at a dark crossroads, calling on the international community to “act now to change the dangerous path we are on.”
Wennesland described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as “catastrophic,” particularly with the onset of winter. He highlighted the severe developments in northern Gaza, where the population has been almost entirely displaced and widespread destruction has ravaged the area.
The Gaza Health Ministry confirmed that the toll from the Zionist genocide since October 7, 2023, has risen to 43,922 registered martyrs, with an additional 103,898 individuals sustaining injuries.
According to the same sources, emergency services are still unable to reach the bodies trapped under the rubble or scattered on roads across the war-torn enclave, as the Zionist occupation forces continue to obstruct the movement of ambulance and civil defence crews.
