On Thursday 10 July, High Representative of the Union Kaja Kallas highlighted the “important” measures agreed by Israel to improve the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, following Israeli cabinet resolutions and “constructive” dialogue between the EU and Israel.
In recent weeks, at the request of the European Foreign Ministers, the High Representative has held several meetings with the Israeli Foreign Minister, Gideon Saar, to discuss the humanitarian situation in Gaza and reiterate the European position (see EUROPE 13665/3).
“These measures are or will be implemented in the coming days, with the common understanding that aid at scale must be delivered directly to the population and that measures will continue to be taken to ensure that there is no aid diversion to Hamas”, explained Ms Kallas in a statement. She promised that the EU was ready to coordinate its efforts with all the humanitarian actors concerned, UN agencies and NGOs on the ground, “to ensure swift implementation of those urgent steps”.
Ms Kallas mentioned: - a “substantial” increase in the daily number of trucks transporting food and non-food products to Gaza; - the opening of several crossing points in the northern and southern areas; - the reopening of Jordanian and Egyptian aid routes; and - the distribution of food in bakeries and public kitchens throughout the Gaza Strip. The resumption of fuel deliveries to humanitarian facilities, up to operational levels, the protection of humanitarian workers and the repair and facilitation of work on vital infrastructure, such as the resumption of the power supply to the water desalination plant, were also highlighted by the High Representative.
Ms Kallas also reiterated her call for an immediate ceasefire and the release of all remaining hostages, and supported the ongoing efforts of Egypt, Qatar, and the United States as mediators.
The High Representative of the Union is due to present options to European Foreign Ministers on Tuesday 15 July in response to Israel’s violation of Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement (see EUROPE 13665/3, 13668/3). The options, which are unlikely to be adopted for lack of a sufficient majority in the EU Council, let alone unanimity, would involve suspending all or part of the agreement – the political part or the trade part or sections of either, targeted sanctions against violent settlers and/or extremist Ministers or an arms embargo. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)