Brussels, 14/06/2007 (Agence Europe) - In a press release on Thursday, Benita Ferrero-Waldner declared, “We are alarmed by the ferocity of the recent clashes in Gaza”. She also called on Fatah and Hamas to resolve their differences by, “dialogue not violence”. The Commissioner for external relations pointed out that since the formation of the government coalition in Palestine, the EU had been stepping up its aid to Palestinians and that it was not the right time to abandon the question of national unity in the government and security sector. She appealed for Hamas and Fatah to, “invest all their energy in this coalition”. A day earlier, Louis Michel had also expressed his “deep concern” about the escalating violence between the two factions. In a reference to the, “growing humanitarian tragedy in Gaza”, the Commissioner for development and humanitarian aid underlined in a press release published on Wednesday that the totality of the sixteen emergency aid projects funded by the Commission's humanitarian aid service (ECHO) had now been suspended, given the lack of security on the ground, an unprecedented development in the long history of EU humanitarian support to the Palestinian population in Gaza. Louis Michel said he hoped that these projects could rapidly be resumed and explained, “This is a time when people desperately need protection and support. The warring parties must respect the principles of international humanitarian law, and do everything possible to facilitate safe access by relief agencies to the civilian population”. The Commissioner condemned the death of two relief workers from the UN Relief Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). So far around €60 million has been reserved to this end in 2007. (an/ab)