“Humanitarian pauses must be established and respected as a matter of urgency,” the commissioner told a meeting of the bloc’s foreign ministers in Brussels.
He noted that “more than half of the hospitals are no longer working” in the Gaza Strip. The main reason for stopping the operation of hospitals is the lack of fuel, said the European Commissioner.
The fiercest fighting between Israel and the Islamist militant group Hamas is currently taking place near Gaza’s largest hospital.
The Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry announced on Monday that hospitals in the northern Gaza Strip have suspended operations due to shortages of fuel and other necessities, as well as heavy fighting.
The EU issued a statement on Sunday stressing the need to protect hospitals. The EU condemned Hamas for using medical facilities and civilians as “humanitarian shields”.
The bloc also called for an “immediate humanitarian pause” to allow needed aid to flow into the besieged Israeli territory.
“Such pauses should be meaningful,” emphasized Lenarčič.
“First of all, they should be announced very early so that organizations can prepare for their use. Secondly, they must be clearly defined from the point of view of time,” he added.
The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Joseph Borrell, also stated that “Gaza, from any point of view, needs more help.”
“Water, fuel, food. Help is available, it is at the border waiting to enter,” he said.
Many world leaders, such as US President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, are calling for a humanitarian pause rather than an immediate ceasefire.
As reported, on October 7, “Hamas” organized a massacre in Israel, murdering more than 1,200 people, the absolute majority of whom were civilians. Approximately 240 more people, including women, children and elderly people, were taken hostage by the terrorists and taken to the Gaza Strip.
Israel responded to the Hamas attack by launching a massive bombardment of the Gaza Strip, but later launched a ground operation as well.
Authorities in the terror-controlled Gaza Strip say at least 11,000 people have been killed in Israeli bombardment, but these numbers are believed to be greatly exaggerated given the disinformation so far spread by Hamas. In addition, a large number of those killed are fighters of Islamist groups.
2023-11-13 11:31:30
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