Warsaw: European Union foreign ministers on Wednesday urged immediate action to resume the delivery of humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip, in a bid to alleviate the suffering of civilians. The call came during the first day of the informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers, taking place in Warsaw.
According to Kuwait News Agency, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas said the European Union had offered its assistance to Israel in facilitating the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. "I offered also help by the European Union to distribute the humanitarian aid if they don't trust the other actors there," Kallas stated. She reaffirmed the EU's commitment to the two-state solution, stressing that "the loss of life in Gaza is untenable." Kallas added, "We [the EU] are the biggest supporter of the Palestinian Authority, UNRWA, and the Palestinian people in terms of humanitarian aid," but warned that "the big problem now is that aid is not reaching the people."
Belgium's Foreign Minister Maxime Pr©vot echoed the urgency, telling reporters, "We are facing troubled times all around the world. We have great concerns related to the situation in Ukraine, Sudan, East Congo, India and Pakistan." He emphasized the critical situation in Gaza, stating, "it's time for the European Union and the international community to wake up. What we're seeing is an absolute shame. It's not acceptable. Cutting off on a voluntary basis as a war strategy any humanitarian aid, any access to food, to healthcare, to electricity, to water is totally unacceptable. People in Gaza urgently need humanitarian support. Women, children are starving."
Pr©vot concluded by expressing the need for a strong response from the EU, stating, "I am waiting for strong reaction from the EU because I fear no single country will be able to change on its own." In addition to Gaza, the ministers are discussing a range of strategic issues over the two-day meeting, including Russia's war on Ukraine and EU relations with the United States.