EU representatives and 26 foreign ministers demand NGO access to Gaza
Brussels (dpa) – Representatives from 26 Western countries and the EU Commission are pressuring Israel to allow aid deliveries into the Gaza Strip.
“All border crossings and routes must be used to enable a flood of aid goods to Gaza,” states a joint declaration. It was issued by three EU commissioners – including the EU foreign affairs representative Kaja Kallas – as well as the foreign ministers of most EU countries. Australia, Canada, Iceland, Japan, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom are also among the signatories. Germany is not included.
“A famine is spreading before our eyes,” the declaration states. Urgent measures are now necessary to stop this emergency. Food, shelter, fuel, clean water, and medicine are needed, among other things. Additionally, civilians and aid workers must be protected at distribution points.
The Israeli government must immediately and permanently grant the United Nations, non-governmental organizations, and humanitarian actors access to the Palestinian territory, the representatives further demanded.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently stated that there is no famine in the Gaza Strip. Israel has “flooded” the coastal area with aid supplies. The only ones who are starving are the hostages in the hands of Hamas. (August 12)
