Before a family photo of members of the European Council in Brussels, March 22, 2024. JOHN THYS / AFP
“We have succeeded in reaching a clear position,” greets Alexander De Croo, the Belgian Prime Minister. On Thursday March 21, the Twenty-Seven called for an “immediate humanitarian pause” in Gaza and urged Israel not to launch a ground operation in Rafah, in a joint declaration.
“The European Council calls for an immediate humanitarian pause leading to a lasting ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages and the provision of humanitarian aid”, according to the conclusions of the European Council voted unanimously .
“The announcement of an American resolution tabled at the UN requesting a cease-fire mattered to the Europeans,” says Mr. De Croo. The resolution is to be discussed Friday in New York. Upon his arrival at the summit, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hoped that “a long-term ceasefire will be possible and that it will be linked to the release of all hostages and, which is also important for me, to the restitution of deceased people. »
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Very divided since the attack of October 7, 2023 carried out by Hamas against Israel, the Europeans have finally come to an agreement while the health and humanitarian situation in Gaza is increasingly difficult. The countries closest to Israel, Hungary and the Czech Republic, did not oppose the declaration this time.
“Failure of humanity”
“There are no words to describe the situation in Gaza. I am happy that the Council today approves conclusions which go much further than the first conclusion in October, when we spoke of a humanitarian pause,” greets Josep Borrell, the head of European diplomacy.
In their declaration, the Twenty-Seven say they are “deeply concerned” by the “catastrophic” humanitarian situation in Gaza and by “its effects on civilians, particularly children, as well as by the risk of famine caused by the insufficient arrival of 'help “.
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The Twenty-Seven demand “rapid, total, safe and unimpeded access” for humanitarian aid, a large part of which is blocked at the gates of the Palestinian territory by the Israeli authorities. “You know there’s an airport an hour’s drive from where we send parachutes? But the airport is closed. We are building a port, but there is already a port, the port of Ashkelon. It is closed. The borders are so closed that there is no supply in Gaza,” judges Mr. Borrell.
For the head of diplomacy, “what is happening today in Gaza is the failure of humanity. This is not a humanitarian crisis. It's not an earthquake, it's not a flood: it's bombings. The only way to stop this humanitarian crisis – this human crisis – is for Israel to respect civilians more and allow more aid to enter the Gaza Strip. »