A COALITION of humanitarian organisations today demanded a halt to the transfer of arms to Israeli and Palestinian armed groups.

The coalition of 16 organisations, including Amnesty International, Oxfam, Save the Children and the Norwegian Refugee Council, issued a bleak warning over a “situation of utter desperation inside Gaza.”

The warning came as a leading Islamic charity said one in 25 people in Gaza are now either dead or injured.

The aid coalition said in a statement: “We call on all states to immediately halt the transfer of weapons, parts and ammunition to Israel and Palestinian armed groups while there is risk they are used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian or human rights law.

“Israel’s bombardment and siege are depriving the civilian population of the basics to survive and rendering Gaza uninhabitable. Today, the civilian population in Gaza faces a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented severity and scale.”

In all, some 1.7 million people have been displaced within Gaza, according to the United Nations Palestinian refugee agency. 

According to the Gaza Health Ministry, the Palestinian death toll from the war is now more than 25,700, with most of the dead being women and children.

UN officials fear even more people could die from disease, with at least one quarter of the population facing starvation.

The coalition said: “Humanitarian agencies, human rights groups, UN officials, and more than 153 member states have called for an immediate ceasefire. 

“However, Israel continues to use explosive weapons and munitions in densely populated areas with massive humanitarian consequences.” 

The statement added: “Gaza today is the most dangerous place to be a child, a journalist and an aid worker. Hospitals and schools should never become battlegrounds. 

“We demand an immediate ceasefire and call on all states to halt the transfer of weapons that can be used to commit violations of international humanitarian and human rights law."

Meanwhile, Islamic Relief (IR) said the figures now showed that 4 per cent of the population of Gaza was now dead or injured.

As well as the more than 25,000 people killed, around 63,000 had been injured with many suffering life-changing injuries such as loss of limbs.

Despite the humanitarian catastrophe, IR says the amount of aid reaching Gaza has decreased because of the fighting and restrictions put in place by the Israelis.

The charity said: “The combination of heavy bombing, disease and hunger means that the death toll will keep rising unless world leaders act to demand an immediate ceasefire and an end to Israel’s siege.”