During a debate on Tuesday 12 March, representatives of several political groups in the European Parliament, as well as the Belgian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hadja Lahbib, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, called for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.
“We cannot remain passive and powerless in the face of human tragedy and the risk of famine”, stressed Ms Lahbib, arguing that “an immediate humanitarian pause is needed, leading to a lasting ceasefire, the release of hostages and the provision of humanitarian aid”.
“At present, there is only one way to re-establish an adequate flow of humanitarian aid. The people of Gaza need an immediate humanitarian pause (...). And they need it now”, added Ms von der Leyen. In her view, without a lasting ceasefire, “the war in Gaza could spread to the whole region”.
For Iratxe García Pérez (S&D, Spanish), Europeans have “a responsibility to prevent the Palestinian people from being crushed by an apartheid regime”. She highlighted “Netanyahu’s contempt for humanity. As Gaza sinks into destruction, we must send a clear message to Netanyahu that a ceasefire is urgently needed”, she stressed.
“Israel, which has boasted so much about its democracy, has a duty to live up to these values. This is why it is imperative that all humanitarian aid enters the Gaza Strip without constraint, without gunfire, without casualties”, added Valérie Hayer (Renew Europe, French), referring to the fatal incident during a food distribution at the end of February (see EUROPE 13362/15). She stressed the need for an “immediate and lasting ceasefire, (...) more necessary than ever to ensure peace and stability in the region “".
For João Pimenta Lopes (The Left, Portuguese), “we must stop this verbal hypocrisy and intervene, advocate a ceasefire, put pressure on Israel and provide humanitarian aid”. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)