Israel Blocks NZ Aid To Starving Palestinians

Up to $29 million worth of aid provided by New Zealand is held up on the Gaza border by Israel, says the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa.

PSNA says this aid is loaded on some of the 9,000 aid trucks sitting ready to try to lift the Israeli created famine. Three months ago, Israel cut off all food, medicine, fuel, and nearly all water supplies entering Gaza.

Famine has begun and the UN has cited 14,000 babies at imminent risk of starving to death. It estimates 600 truckloads of aid a day is necessary to feed the people in Gaza. Gaza’s own food production has been destroyed by Israel.

Some 70 percent of Gaza is already occupied by Israel or under Israeli evacuation orders.

New Zealand Foreign Minister, Winston Peters last week said the humanitarian situation in Gaza is ‘simply intolerable’.

But PSNA Co-Chair, John Minto says that since then, as Israel refused to allow more than a trickle of aid into Gaza, and instead escalated its already horrific military onslaught, Peters’ only public statement has been to offer condolences for the shooting of two Israeli diplomats in Washington.

“Our government’s selective indifference to mass murder is making all of us complicit.”

Minto says New Zealand has taken a lead in the past and must do so again.

“Our government should be advocating internationally for the enforcement of a protective no-fly zone over Gaza, and a multinational military protection for aid convoys so they can go into Gaza whether Israel approves them or not.”

“At home we should be sending Israel an equally clear message. We must send the Israeli ambassador packing and immediately sanction Israel by ending all trade and other links,” Minto says.

“As each day passes with no concrete action from New Zealand, our government is linking us with the most massive and ongoing war crime of the 21st century.”

“Our government will never live down it’s complicity but might salvage some credibility by acting now.”

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