Published: Thursday, October 24, 2024, 08:43 | Category: International
Brussels – Josep Borrell, the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, has called for an immediate halt to attacks on civilians and emphasized the need to protect displaced people in northern Gaza.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Borrell expressed the EU’s deep concern over the deteriorating situation in northern Gaza. He highlighted the killing of hundreds of civilians, including women and children, and the destruction of United Nations shelters. He also noted the extensive damage inflicted on hospitals, such as Al-Awda Hospital and the Indonesian Hospital, due to the ongoing Israeli aggression that began in early October.
Borrell criticized the new evacuation orders issued by the Israeli authorities for the remaining 400,000 residents of northern Gaza, stressing that many of them have nowhere to go due to repeated displacements, lack of resources, or the fear that nowhere in Gaza is truly safe.
“For more than two weeks, vital aid supplies to northern Gaza have been cut off, with only minimal food aid reaching the area, if any at all,” Borrell said. “On Saturday, communications were also severed in northern Gaza.”
He cited reports from United Nations agencies, warning of a catastrophic humanitarian situation. According to these reports, children are dying at alarming rates and are being deprived of basic rights to protection, food, water, and essential healthcare.
Borrell also referenced a warning from Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), about hospitals running out of fuel and medical supplies. He reiterated the EU’s demand for unrestricted, rapid, and secure access for humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Call for Independent Investigation and Accountability
In addition to humanitarian concerns, Borrell called for a comprehensive and independent investigation into violations of international humanitarian law and stressed the importance of holding perpetrators accountable. He urged the implementation of legally binding orders issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Borrell also demanded that UN-appointed investigators and international journalists be granted access to Gaza to report on the ground and investigate alleged violations.
For more updates on the international response to the Gaza crisis, visit our website: DZWATCH.DZ
Author: nor-eleslam
Keywords: Gaza crisis, EU foreign policy, humanitarian aid, Josep Borrell, international law violations, Israeli aggression, United Nations, Gaza hospitals
