Foreign ministers from 27 countries—including Britain, Canada, Australia, France, Japan and the European Union—issued a joint statement on 12 August urging Israel to allow unrestricted humanitarian aid into Gaza. The ministers said the enclave’s crisis had reached “unimaginable levels” and warned that a worst-case scenario of famine was unfolding. Their appeal followed earlier condemnations from smaller groups of European and Indo-Pacific ministers who rejected Israel’s plan for a large-scale ground operation to seize Gaza City, saying such action risked violating international law and imperilling hostages. The humanitarian toll continues to mount. Gaza’s Health Ministry said on 13 August that famine and malnutrition deaths rose to 235, including 106 children, after eight more fatalities in the previous 24 hours. A day earlier a United Nations spokesperson cited 227 deaths—103 of them children—and reported that starvation and malnutrition were at their highest levels since the war began in October 2023. Humanitarian agencies say Gaza needs about 1,200 aid trucks a day; only 201 entered over two days this week, according to the Gaza Government Media Office. Israel disputes the scale of the crisis. An Israel Defense Forces-commissioned review, released on 12 August, said it could verify only “a handful” of malnutrition deaths and found no evidence of widespread famine, attributing most reported cases to pre-existing medical conditions. The Defence Ministry’s COGAT unit said Hamas was using tragic images for propaganda, while the military pointed to daily “tactical pauses” and humanitarian corridors as proof that relief operations are facilitated. Humanitarian organisations, including Doctors Without Borders, say hospitals are overwhelmed and warn that an expanded Israeli offensive would deepen displacement and food shortages. The 27-nation statement called on Israel to “lift all obstacles” to aid deliveries and to protect civilians and aid workers, echoing United Nations demands for an immediate cessation of hostilities and a large-scale relief effort.