A “terrible” and “catastrophic” situation, an “intolerable level of suffering”... The European foreign affairs ministers had no shortage of words to describe the situation in Gaza on Monday 13 November, when they arrived at the EU Council. The day before, in a statement by the High Representative of the Union on behalf of the EU, the EU27, concerned by “the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza”, joined calls for “immediate pauses in hostilities and the establishment of humanitarian corridors, including through increased capacity at border crossings and through a dedicated maritime route” so that humanitarian aid can safely reach the population of Gaza.
Speaking to the media, the High Representative of the Union, Josep Borrell, said that the Rafah crossing was insufficient and that transit capacity needed to be increased. “We can do this through additional crossing points, through the Cypriot initiative for a humanitarian sea bridge”, which would require floating bridges, he explained.
In the statement, the EU reiterates Israel’s right to defend itself in accordance with international law and international humanitarian law. “Continued, rapid, safe and unhindered” humanitarian access must be ensured and aid must reach those in need through all necessary measures, “including humanitarian corridors and pauses for humanitarian needs”, insists the statement, which welcomes the results of the humanitarian conference held in Paris on 9 November (see EUROPE 13289/4).
“Gaza needs more aid from any point of view - water, fuel, food. This aid is available, it is at the border, waiting to come in”, said the High Representative, adding that less than 2% of food needs are being covered.
“There is an absolute need to get humanitarian aid through. It is extremely important to distinguish between the civilian population and terrorist organisations, and not to confuse the two”, stressed the French Minister, Catherine Colonna.
The EU also condemns the use of hospitals and civilians as human shields by Hamas. “Civilians must be allowed to leave the combat zone”, the statement said. According to the High Representative, several hundred thousand Gazans are still in the north of the Strip.
The EU also claims that the hostilities are seriously affecting hospitals and taking a heavy toll on civilians and medical staff. “International humanitarian law stipulates that hospitals, medical supplies and civilians inside hospitals must be protected. Hospitals must also be supplied immediately with the most urgent medical supplies and patients that require urgent medical care need to be evacuated safely”, urge the EU27, calling on Israel to exercise the utmost restraint to ensure the protection of civilians.
"You have to see what’s happening in the hospitals in Gaza, they’re not battlefields, you have to listen to Médecins Sans Frontières and the World Health Organization, who say that patients in intensive care don’t stand a chance. There’s no oxygen, no water, no medicine, these people are going to die. We know that Hamas uses these hospitals to hide behind civilians, but we must not allow all the terror experienced on 7 October in Israel to be repeated in Gaza”, stressed Jean Asselborn from Luxembourg.
The EU and its Member States said they are also committed to continue to work closely with international partners, the United Nations and other agencies, as well as with countries in the region, to provide a sustained flow of aid and facilitate access to food, water, medical care, fuel and shelter.
The EU reiterated as well its call to Hamas for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. It is essential that the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has access to the hostages, it added. Several ministers also stressed the need for foreigners and dual nationals to be able to leave Gaza.
Mr Asselborn called as well for an end to hostilities. “We need to try and find a negotiating solution. We cannot negotiate with Hamas, but perhaps we can with Qatar and others. The leadership of Hamas is not in Gaza, it is hiding elsewhere and is welcomed in other countries”, he said.
Germany’s Annalena Baerbock stressed that “we must rack our brains 24 hours a day, every minute, to find out how we can work together to ensure that the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza is contained and that the non-stop threat to Israel from Hamas from terrorist actors, is stopped, so that Israel and its people can live in security and peace, like for the Palestinians as well”. According to her, “it is clear that this can only be done within the framework of a two-state solution, even if this seems very remote, it is more important than ever to talk about it and to set a political horizon in this incredible situation where so many people are currently losing hope”.
The Belgian Minister, Hadja Lahbib, also announced that her country had decided to respond to the call from the International Criminal Court to allow it to investigate and establish responsibility in an objective way, for the situation in Gaza. “We have released a budget of €5 million to work on the fight against impunity, but also to work on peace in the long term”, she added. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)