Dozens of Western nations called on Monday for the reopening of the medical corridor between Gaza and the West Bank, offering to provide financial aid and medical staff or equipment to treat Gaza's patients.
"We strongly appeal to Israel to restore the medical corridor to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, so medical evacuations from Gaza can be resumed and patients can get the treatment that they so urgently need on Palestinian territory," the countries said in a joint statement released by Canada.
European nations backed the statement
Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the European Union, and Poland were among the two dozen signatories of the statement. The United States was not listed as a signatory.
"We furthermore urge Israel to lift restrictions on deliveries of medicine and medical equipment to Gaza," the statement said.
There was no immediate reaction from Israel. In the past, Israel has rebuffed calls to allow Gazans to receive medical care in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, most recently during a meeting this month between Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and his Danish counterpart, when Saar cited "security concerns."
Some Gazans have been evacuated to Arab and European countries for treatment. Palestinians say this is no substitute for wider access to hospitals in other Palestinian territories.
Aid agencies said in late August that only a trickle of the aid that was needed, including medicine, had been reaching people in Gaza since Israel lifted a blockade on aid in May. The World Health Organization said in May that Gaza's health system is at a breaking point. Israel controls all access to Gaza and says it allows enough food aid and supplies into the enclave.
Some key US allies, most notably Britain and France, have rallied behind Palestinian statehood at the United Nations as a path to a two-state solution, despite Washington's disapproval.