Switzerland on Friday voiced concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territory of Gaza and called for an "impartial inquiry" into the respect for international humanitarian law there.

The Swiss Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is "nothing less than catastrophic," as the United Nations estimates the Israeli military operation has so far killed 758 people and injured another 3,100.

Switzerland has been negotiating through diplomatic channels to facilitate the admission of personnel and supplies from the International Committee of the Red Cross into the territory.

Switzerland deplores the attacks against humanitarian organizations, and demands that humanitarian access be granted "without delay and without obstruction," said the Foreign Ministry.

Switzerland decided to offer an additional 3 million Swiss Francs (about US$2.7 million) in aid for civilians in Gaza, on top of its 12-million-Swiss Francs (US$10.8 million) annual humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territories.

(Xinhua News Agency January 10, 2009)