Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven nations have said that aid corridors to Gaza “must complement and not be a substitute to expanded and sustained assistance flows by land”.

“We welcome efforts to establish a maritime corridor to further increase the flow of much-needed humanitarian assistance into Gaza, in coordination with the United Nations,” ministers from Italy, the UK, US, France, Germany, Japan and Canada said in a joint statement.

They urged a “rapid implementation of steps announced by the government of Israel, including the commitment to expand flow of aid through existing land crossings, opening new land crossings, and facilitating aid to northern Gaza where humanitarian needs are most acute, including by opening more routes into Gaza”.