Brussels (The Brussels Morning Newspaper) – EU Foreign Affairs Chief Josep Borrell demanded an immediate ceasefire and a political solution to the continuing conflict in Gaza.
What did Josep Borrell demand regarding the Gaza conflict?
He said: “I heard many countries concerned about the large number of civilian casualties in #Gaza. The unbearable suffering of the Palestinian people must end. A hostage deal should be reached now. And we have to prevent regional escalation. We cannot look away from this suffering.”
Borrell decried the latest attack on a school in Khan Younis, which was being operated as a shelter for internally displaced Palestinians. The EU’s principal diplomat emphasized the urgent need for adherence to international humanitarian law and the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the besieged population.
“Ceasefire has to happen now. International Humanitarian Law has to be respected. Humanitarian assistance to civilians needs to be delivered at scale. Only a political solution will end this madness,” Borrell declared in a series of posts on X, formerly known as Twitter.
In his statements, Borrell underlined the dire conditions faced by the displaced people, who are repeatedly forced to relocate amid ongoing attacks. He called for the international community to take strong action to end the violence and help a political resolution to the crisis.
How did the recent Israeli airstrike impact civilians?
A recent Israeli airstrike targeted a school and resulted in the demises of at least 30 Palestinian civilians, mostly women and children. This strike is part of a more comprehensive and escalating situation in the besieged Palestinian territory, with mounting civilian deaths and widespread displacement.
This recent aggression on the school, which was harbouring civilians displaced by the constant conflict, marks at least the eighth such happening since July 6. According to Gaza’s health ministry and hospital sources, these walkouts have collectively resulted in the extinction of more than 100 persons.
How severe is the humanitarian crisis in Gaza?
The humanitarian situation in Gaza has reached alarming levels, with most of the territory’s 2.4 million inhabitants having been displaced at least once during the Israeli bombardment campaign, which started on October 7. Many displaced Palestinians have pursued refuge in schools, which have now become immediate shelters amidst the ongoing conflict.
The escalation of brutality has continued to wreak devastation across Gaza, with the health ministry conveying a staggering death toll of at least 39,258 Palestinians, mostly women and children, due to Israeli storms over the past nine months. This includes recent losses, with 83 deaths registered in just the last 48 hours. Moreover, the ministry conveyed 90,589 injuries since October 7.
In the Khan Younis region, where Israeli military operations have heightened, Gaza’s civil defence agency reported about 170 deaths and hundreds of injuries since the operations started on Monday. “Since the beginning of the Israeli military operation in the Khan Yunis area, we are talking of approximately 170 martyrs and hundreds of wounded,” said agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal.
