European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen has revealed that the EU was increasing its humanitarian aid to Gaza by another 25million euros.
“By doing so the European Union would spend a total of 100 million euros in humanitarian aid for the civilians in Gaza,” she noted.
She disclosed that the EU was working with Israel, Egypt and the UN to let more convoys into Gaza, “including through corridors and pauses for humanitarian needs.”
“Aid is now entering through the Rafah border crossing, but the volumes remain too small to match the massive humanitarian needs in Gaza.
“Our priority is to work with partners to reinforce Rafah’s logistic capacities, and at the same time, we’re working on complementary routes – a maritime corridor from Cyprus, for example – that would guarantee a sustained, regulated and robust flow of aid.”
Ursula von der Leyen
Also, von der Leyen addressed the issue of hostages held in Gaza, stressing that “every single hostage matters.”
Europe, she said, “must do everything in our power to avoid a regional conflict.”
Moreso, the European Commission President emphasized that “Gaza can be no safe haven for terrorists” and “different ideas are being discussed on how this can be insured, including an international peace force under UN mandate.”
“This implies that the terrorist organization Hamas cannot control or govern Gaza. There should be only one Palestinian Authority and one Palestinian state.”
Ursula von der Leyen
Von der Leyen also stressed that “there can be no long-term Israeli security presence in Gaza”, “no forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza” and “no sustained blockade of Gaza.”
Outcome Of Collective Political And Moral Failure
On the other hand, Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief, opined that the situation in the Middle East is “the outcome of a collective political and moral failure” due to “a real lack of willingness to solve the Israeli-Palestinian problem.”
“I think that, we Europeans, we have the moral and political obligation to be involved – not only by providing aid but contributing to a durable solution,” he said.
Pointing to rising anti-Semitism and stressing that “anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim sentiments are totally unacceptable,” Borrell said, “I think that we have three responsibilities. We must continue sticking to a firm and balanced position, and to avoid importing in Europe this conflict at all costs.”
The second responsibility, Borrell said, is a “humanitarian solution.”
International humanitarian law needs to be respected, the foreign policy chief said, adding that that “a humanitarian pause” counterbalanced by access to hostages could be a “first step.”
Borrell also said that “a massive increase in humanitarian support” as well as the evacuation of third country nationals and a “proportionate Israeli response” are all necessary.
“But the important thing is to think about a comprehensive and definitive settlement which is clearly out of reach today,” he added.
Moreover, Borrell suggested a plan under which Israel could suspend its military operation in Gaza in return for the Red Cross getting access to captives held by Hamas.
“I think that a humanitarian pause counterbalanced by an access to hostages with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) as a first step to their release is an initiative in which we should work,” Borrell averred.
“Call it a truce, window, whatever, but we need that violence recedes and that international humanitarian law is being respected,” he asserted.
While there have been widespread calls for a ceasefire, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu has ruled out this option until all captives are released.
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