As winter grips the Gaza Strip with heavy rains and plunging temperatures, a coalition of 10 influential countries has issued a stark warning: the humanitarian situation in Gaza has become catastrophic. Foreign ministers from Britain, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Japan, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland released a joint statement highlighting a “renewed deterioration” that threatens the lives of millions.
This urgent call comes against the backdrop of a fragile ceasefire brokered in October 2025, which ended active hostilities but has failed to resolve deep-rooted access issues for aid. While progress has been made in hostage releases and reducing bloodshed, civilians continue to endure unimaginable hardships.
The Dire Winter Reality in Gaza
Winter conditions are exacerbating an already desperate scenario:
- Flooding and Shelter Crisis: Heavy rainfall has turned makeshift camps into flood zones, with 1.3 million displaced Palestinians urgently needing proper shelter.
- Health System Collapse: Over half of Gaza’s health facilities are only partially operational, plagued by shortages of essential medicines, equipment, and supplies.
- Sanitation Breakdown: The complete failure of sanitation infrastructure has exposed 740,000 people to toxic flooding, raising fears of widespread waterborne diseases.
- Aid Delivery Bottlenecks: Despite some improvements post-ceasefire, bureaucratic hurdles and restrictions on “dual-use” items (like medical and shelter materials) are hampering relief efforts.
The ministers emphasized: “As winter draws in, civilians in Gaza are facing appalling conditions with heavy rainfall and temperatures dropping.” They stressed that these challenges are reversible with immediate action.
Urgent Steps to Avert Disaster
The joint statement outlines specific, actionable demands to ease the crisis:
- Allow international NGOs to operate “in a sustained and predictable way,” warning that many face deregistration due to new restrictive requirements as 2025 ends.
- Lift “unreasonable restrictions” on imports of vital supplies.
- Open more border crossings, including Rafah, to achieve a minimum of 4,200 aid trucks per week (with 250 dedicated to UN operations) – describing this as a “floor, not a ceiling.”
- Ensure commercial goods flow alongside humanitarian aid without preferential treatment.
These measures aim to prevent a slide back into worse conditions, building on recent gains where improved access helped avert full-scale famine earlier in December.
A Fragile Ceasefire Under Strain
The October 2025 truce, hailed as a major diplomatic win, has held despite accusations of violations from both sides. Recent comments from U.S. leadership underscore ongoing tensions, particularly around disarmament and reconstruction plans. Yet, the 10 nations’ statement focuses squarely on civilian plight, welcoming ceasefire progress while insisting: “We will not lose focus on the plight of civilians in Gaza.”
This multi-national appeal reflects growing international frustration with delays in aid delivery, even as hopes emerge for longer-term stabilization and rebuilding in 2026.
Why This Warning Matters Now
As 2025 draws to a close, this joint declaration serves as a critical reminder that peace agreements alone do not heal deep wounds. Without swift removal of barriers to aid, the fragile improvements in food security and health could unravel rapidly. The involvement of diverse nations – from Europe to Asia and North America – signals broad consensus on the need for accountability and humanity in addressing Gaza’s ongoing suffering.
Global attention remains essential to push for unrestricted humanitarian access and protect vulnerable populations from winter’s harsh toll.
