Twenty-five human rights and humanitarian organizations operating on the ground in Gaza have issued a joint statement saying the only way to meet the unprecedented humanitarian needs in the territory is to ensure unhindered humanitarian access through all land crossings, Al Jazeera reported.

“States cannot hide behind airdrops and efforts to open a maritime corridor to create the illusion that they are doing enough to support the needs in Gaza. Their primary responsibility is to prevent atrocity crimes from unfolding and apply effective political pressure to end the relentless bombardment and the restrictions which prevent the safe delivery of humanitarian aid,” they said.

The statement added, “After enduring five months of continuous bombardments and dehumanizing conditions, children, women and men in Gaza have the right to more than meager charity dropped from the sky,” the statement said.

“Families are starving and do not have the time for offshore and ashore infrastructure to be constructed: saving their lives requires immediately allowing the humanitarian trucks full of food and medicine whose entry in Gaza is currently being withheld,” it said.