Canada has told Israel that “there is an absolute imperative to act now” and immediately provide “a significant and sustained increase of humanitarian assistance” to the civilian population in Gaza, Al Jazeera reports.

In a joint statement, Canada’s Foreign Minister Melanie Joly and International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen referred to “catastrophic humanitarian conditions” in Gaza where there are “life-threatening levels of acute malnutrition”.

“Civilians — men, women and children — are dying because of the lack of humanitarian assistance allowed into Gaza,” the ministers said.

“The Israeli Government must abide by its obligations under international humanitarian law,” they added.