At a humanitarian conference for the Gaza Strip jointly organised by the United Nations, Jordan and Egypt on Tuesday 11 June, the European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, called for the reopening of humanitarian aid delivery points at Rafah and Kerem Shalom in the Jordan Valley, as well as the use of “any other available option for access”.
According to Mr Lenarčič, “the humanitarian situation and severe food insecurity are likely to deteriorate further, at a time when rising temperatures are aggravating the health and sanitation crisis inside Gaza owing to damaged sewage and waste treatment systems, making living conditions even worse”.
“Aid is piling up at Gaza’s borders when children are dying of hunger just a few kilometres away. We can and we must stop this catastrophe”, he added.
In Amman, Jordan, the European Commissioner reiterated the EU’s call on Israel and all parties concerned to respect international humanitarian law in order to protect civilians (see EUROPE 13408/7).
The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, reiterated the EU’s support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) (see EUROPE 13422/28) and issued a reminder that the EU and its Member States had provided almost €800 million in humanitarian funding and coordinated the delivery of 2,500 tonnes of non-financial aid since the start of the crisis. (Original version in French by Bernard Denuit)