We, the undersigned organisations, express grave concern over the recent joint declaration by New Zealand and 24 other nations condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza and accusing it of obstructing humanitarian aid.
This statement is not only misguided, it represents a dangerous inversion of reality, in which:
- Terrorists are excused, and defenders are condemned;
- Hamas’s propaganda is cited as fact, and verified Israeli efforts are ignored;
- The thief is pitied, and those delivering food under fire are vilified.
Blaming the Rescuers, Not the Arsonists
The joint statement accuses Israel of “inhumane” killing and “drip-feeding” aid. Yet it is Hamas (the very group that started this war with a massacre on October 7 2023) that:
- Steals aid, sells it, and redistributes it to fighters;
- Creates disturbances and fires on civilians at aid stations to induce panic and lay blame on Israel;
- Places bounties on aid workers not under its control.
To accuse Israel of causing the humanitarian crisis while ignoring Hamas’s central role is to blame the firefighter for the fire. Israel has worked hard to coordinate necessary aid to the extent that there are currently hundreds of truckloads of food on the Gaza side of the border in need of distribution. Thus, there is no “drip-feeding” by Israel.
Treating Terrorist Casualty Reports as Gospel
The casualty numbers cited (tens of thousands of “civilians” killed) come directly from Hamas’s so-called “Gaza Health Ministry.” This is not a neutral medical authority. It is:
- A Hamas-run information weapon, whose sole aim is to inflate civilian casualties;
- A notoriously unreliable source. Due to inconsistencies the UN has quietly revised its own reporting;
- Completely opaque and unverifiable, with no distinction between combatants and civilians.
When governments like New Zealand cite these figures without context or scrutiny, they lend credibility to terrorists and undermine genuine humanitarian reporting.
Condemning What Works, Ignoring What Fails
While condemning Israel, the joint statement says nothing about the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) — the one aid mechanism that actually works:
- GHF delivers aid using vetted drivers, uses GPS tracking and bypass routes around Hamas.
- It ensures direct civilian access to food and medicine.
- It has faced threats and sabotage from Hamas, and—most shockingly—refusal to cooperate from UN agencies and NGOs.
According to a Times of Israel report (22 July 2025), these agencies have declined GHF’s repeated offers to collaborate, even as they lament “lack of access” and blame Israel. This is not humanitarianism — it is institutional dysfunction.
Calling for Ceasefire While Hostages Rot in Tunnels
The joint statement demands an “immediate, unconditional ceasefire.” But what kind of ceasefire:
- Leaves 50 hostages in captivity?
- Enables Hamas to rearm, reorganise, and repeat the horrors of October 7?
- Forbids Israel from dismantling a terror regime that uses civilians as shields and hospitals as bases?
A ceasefire without the above conditions does not end the war. It guarantees the next one.
When Hamas Applauds You, Something Is Wrong
That Hamas has celebrated the joint statement should alarm every signatory. If your position is being used by a terrorist group as vindication, it is time to re-examine whose reality you are serving.
Why does NZ side with terrorists, when a tiny western style democratic state the size of Northland fights an existential defensive war? Israel did not start this war. She has an obligation to defend her citizens, to do everything possible to free the hostages and to protect her people from future 7 October style massacres.
What Must Happen Now
We urge the New Zealand Government and its partners to:
- Withdraw or amend the joint statement, explicitly naming Hamas as the source of Gaza’s suffering;
- Publicly support the GHF and demand cooperation from UN and NGO agencies obstructing its work;
- Reject the inversion of truth, where democracies are condemned and terror groups are given a free pass;
- Recognise that Israel is fighting an existential war, and that peace is not possible if a genocidal terror regime is left in place;
- Demand the immediate release of all hostages and urge Hamas to accept the ceasefire.
A Final Word: Reality Must Be Respected
This is not a war between equals. It is a fight between a democracy that warns civilians and a death cult that hides behind them. Between those who seek peace and those who glorify death.
Reversing that truth is not diplomacy. It is betrayal.
We call on New Zealand to return to moral clarity — and stop legitimising the lies of Hamas.
Dr David Cumin, Greg Bouwer – Israel Institute NZ
Dr Sheree Trotter – Indigenous Embassy Jerusalem
Nigel Woodley – Coalition of Ministers, Protection of Zion Trust
Derek McDowell – International Christian Embassy Jerusalem
Rob Berg – Kol Israel
Yifat Goddard, Ashley Church – Israel NZ Network
Dennis Mcleod – Christian Friends of Israel
Bryce Turner – Christians for Israel
Tony Kan – NZ Friends of Israel Association
Beth Mather – Bridges for Peace
