Brussels (The Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The High Representative of the European Union has released a statement on the 7th October terrorist attacks anniversary.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that the horrifying terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas and other terrorists on 7 October 2023 have had an influence on the region, the European Union, and the whole world. “Our thoughts and hearts have been with the families of those 1,200 innocent people who were brutally assassinated, as well as with the unspeakable suffering of the hostages and their families,” he said. Borell contended that the Hamas must free all hostages immediately and unconditionally.
How has the humanitarian crisis in Gaza escalated?
The high representative stated that the past year has also witnessed the horrible suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza and later in the West Bank. The total war unleashed by the Israeli government on Hamas has led to a humanitarian emergency. The severe bombing has reduced most of the enclave to rubble. More than 41,000 people, mostly women and children, have been killed. Most Gazans have been forced from their homes and the intense bombing has reduced most of the enclave to rubble. The population is mourning hunger and diseases as Israel besieges the Gaza Strip.
Moreover, he highlighted that the EU has made every effort to ameliorate the extreme needs of the Palestinian people, including cases of starvation or basic lack of vaccination for children, by marshalling unprecedented levels of humanitarian aid. Unfortunately, that support does not always reach those in need, and too many cases it has been blocked and impeded. The EU has also consistently cautioned about the disproportionate use of force incompatible with International Humanitarian Law, which must be respected at all times, including in the fight against terrorism and the exercise of the legitimate right of self-defence.
The European Union considered that an immediate ceasefire on all facades was the only way to get to the liberation of the captives and de-escalate this extremely dangerous crisis for the region that would seriously affect the whole world. The EU has consistently called for this and has been operating with partners to achieve it.
