LONDON

Discussing humanitarian access for Gaza is "a false promise" as long as relentless Israeli bombardment continues to kill civilians, an official from UK-based charity Oxfam said Wednesday.

In a statement, Katy Chakrabortty, Oxfam's head of advocacy, criticized Andrew Mitchell, the Foreign Office minister for development and Africa, over his speech in the House of Commons on Gaza.

"Talk of humanitarian access is a false promise, when Israeli bombs continue to relentlessly hit civilians and children and when a full siege remains in place," she said

In his speech, Mitchell urged the need for "effective humanitarian pauses," while adding that the volume of aid going into Gaza is not enough.

"Israel’s right to self-defence does not justify this appalling suffering and humanitarian crisis. It is evidently clear that Israel is violating International Humanitarian Law," underlined Chakrabortty.

Stressing that it is illegal to target civilians or deny them food, medicine, and water, she added, however, that this is what has been happening for over a month in Gaza.

"The UK government has a moral and diplomatic responsibility to help bring about a permanent ceasefire and start the hard-nosed work towards peace," added Chakrabortty.

Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7.

At least 10,569 Palestinians, including 4,324 children and 2,823 women, have been killed since then. The Israeli death toll, meanwhile, is nearly 1,600, according to official figures.