It is almost impossible to describe the dire situation of people in Gaza. Those who escape the fighting face death by starvation. People fight for their lives to grab airdropped aid packages because not enough lorries are entering Gaza. Children collect weeds so that their siblings can have at least something to eat. Babies are dying of dehydration and malnourishment in hospitals that are barely still functioning.

We are increasing our humanitarian assistance for Gaza by an additional 20 million euro. Yet that is by far not enough. The number of lorries transporting life-saving food aid, medicine and other supplies to Gaza has sharply decreased in recent weeks. This is unacceptable. The Israeli Government must immediately enable secure and unhindered access for humanitarian assistance. The International Court of Justice, too, has ordered it to do so. Following the breakdown of public order in many parts of the Gaza Strip, the Israeli army must ensure that humanitarian assistance can be successfully distributed.

If not enough lorries are getting through, then aid must, if need be, also be airdropped to the people there. Together with our partners, especially Jordan, we want to participate in the airdrops of humanitarian aid. At the same time, a humanitarian pause is needed more urgently than ever, so that those taken hostage by Hamas are finally set free and more humanitarian assistance can get to the people. I want to thank Qatar, Egypt and the United States for their tireless mediation efforts.