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The European Commission announced that will provide an additional €25 million in humanitarian aid; in the context of the Union’s support to the residents of Gaza by quadrupling the EU’s humanitarian aid. in over 100 million euros.
Help will be provided to humanitarian organizations for the provision of materials and services with an emphasis on water supply and sanitation, health, food and basic necessities. The president of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said that alongside aid the EU is working “with Israel, Egypt and the United Nations to allow more convoys into Gaza, including through corridors and humanitarian pauses”. However, Israel does not appear ready for the time being to proceed with a meaningful cease-fire.
The High Representative for the Union’s foreign policy, Joseph Borel, he emphasized in his speech at the Conference of EU Ambassadors. that “there is no military solution to the conflict, without a political strategy. No one will win the battle against terrorism”, as he described Hamas. He also claimed that even if the organization is “eliminated”, “the problem of Gaza will not be solved”. In practice, the EU has not yet managed to follow a “single line” on the issue.
Von der Leyen was accused in mid-October of a one-sided stance in favor of Israel and a lack of reporting on the plight of Palestinian civilians. The issue of the war was discussed in the Plenary of the European Parliament in Strasbourg together with the Commission in a debate during which the President of the Commission retracted in part for her attitude stating that under no circumstances can bombings in hospitals be justified. He reiterated that “Europe stands by Israel in this dark moment”.
Club of MEPs from the European People’s Party suggested that aid be reduced -including the humanitarian one- in Gaza, but also to build walls on the borders of the EU, with these proposals being rejected. It is noted that the German side still supports the possibility of two-state solutions for Israel and Palestine “regardless of how far in the future such a thing is,” as German government spokesman Steffen Hebstreit said. However, discussions for one have not yet progressed Summit for peace in the region, with Germany wanting the participation of both warring sides.
Von der Leyen, in a five-point proposal, raised the following:
Gaza cannot remain a “paradise for terrorists”, which will be achieved by international coalition action”, Hamas cannot continue to rule in Gaza, there cannot be a long-term security guarantee from Israel alone, the Palestinians must not to be displaced, not to continue the permanent blockade of the area.
The above will be examined in due course, while at the same time the European Parliament and the Commission they will continue to discuss the gradual increase in aid to the civilians, whose drama escalates beyond all limits.
Based on the above, do you think that the EU has done enough for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza so far, or should it act more strongly and decisively?
