EU debates Gaza truce call, as top diplomat urges more aid
Published: 04:10 PM,Oct 23,2023 | EDITED : 08:10 PM,Oct 23,2023
Josep Borrell
LUXEMBOURG: EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Monday urged faster aid deliveries to Gaza, and said the bloc was debating calling for a 'humanitarian pause' in the Mideast conflict.
'What's important (is) more, quicker, and in particular to enter the basic things that make water and electricity supply being restored,' Borrell said, ahead of a meeting of European Union foreign ministers.
Borrell said that the few dozen trucks of humanitarian aid that had been allowed into Gaza from Egypt was 'not enough' and said fuel to produce power and drinking water was particularly needed.
He said ministers would discuss calls from United Nations' secretary-general Antonio Guterres for a 'humanitarian ceasefire' and the issue would be on the table at an EU leaders summit on Thursday.
'Personally, I think that a humanitarian pause is needed in order to allow the humanitarian support to come in and be distributed, seeing that half of the population of Gaza has been moving from their houses,' Borrell said.
The 27-nation EU bloc has long been split over its policy on Israel and the Palestinians.
It has struggled with conflicting messaging since the surge in violence following the October 7 attack and Israel's reprisals against Gaza.
Israel, and key ally United States, have so far opposed any calls for a halt in the military campaign.
Ireland's foreign minister, Micheal Martin, said his country understood 'Israel's need to deal with the conflict because this was an appalling attack'.
'But the degree of suffering — innocent civilians in Gaza are suffering -- it's not acceptable at all and in our view that's why we believe a humanitarian pause is required to at a minimum get aid and supplies in.'
Latvian counterpart Krisjanis Karins insisted: 'It's not at all an easy situation. I think there is no black and white solution.'
Israel has responded to Oct. 7 attacks with a relentless bombing campaign which has so far killed more than 5,000 Palestinians, mainly civilians, according to Gaza's health ministry.
Officials said the central town of Deir al-Balah had been particularly badly hit overnight Saturday to Sunday. — AFP
'What's important (is) more, quicker, and in particular to enter the basic things that make water and electricity supply being restored,' Borrell said, ahead of a meeting of European Union foreign ministers.
Borrell said that the few dozen trucks of humanitarian aid that had been allowed into Gaza from Egypt was 'not enough' and said fuel to produce power and drinking water was particularly needed.
He said ministers would discuss calls from United Nations' secretary-general Antonio Guterres for a 'humanitarian ceasefire' and the issue would be on the table at an EU leaders summit on Thursday.
'Personally, I think that a humanitarian pause is needed in order to allow the humanitarian support to come in and be distributed, seeing that half of the population of Gaza has been moving from their houses,' Borrell said.
The 27-nation EU bloc has long been split over its policy on Israel and the Palestinians.
It has struggled with conflicting messaging since the surge in violence following the October 7 attack and Israel's reprisals against Gaza.
Israel, and key ally United States, have so far opposed any calls for a halt in the military campaign.
Ireland's foreign minister, Micheal Martin, said his country understood 'Israel's need to deal with the conflict because this was an appalling attack'.
'But the degree of suffering — innocent civilians in Gaza are suffering -- it's not acceptable at all and in our view that's why we believe a humanitarian pause is required to at a minimum get aid and supplies in.'
Latvian counterpart Krisjanis Karins insisted: 'It's not at all an easy situation. I think there is no black and white solution.'
Israel has responded to Oct. 7 attacks with a relentless bombing campaign which has so far killed more than 5,000 Palestinians, mainly civilians, according to Gaza's health ministry.
Officials said the central town of Deir al-Balah had been particularly badly hit overnight Saturday to Sunday. — AFP