A number of EU Member States together with several international partners issued a joint donor statement on Monday evening demanding that Israel immediately resume full humanitarian aid access to Gaza.
The statement, which was issued in connection with the European Humanitarian Forum, was signed by the foreign ministers of 15 EU Member States (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden) and 7 third countries (Australia, Canada, Iceland, Japan, New Zeeland, Norway, UK).
The statement was also signed by High Representative Kaja Kallas and the Commissioners for Crisis Management and for the Mediterranean. A EU spokesperson for foreign affairs did not respond to a question why the statement was not signed by all EU foreign ministers who had come to Brussels for the Foreign Affairs Council meeting on Tuesday.
In the statement, the foreign ministters acknowledged indications of a limited restart of humanitarian aid after Israel had blocked aid entering Gaza since 2 March. “Food, medicines and essential supplies are exhausted. The population faces starvation. Gaza’s people must receive the aid they desperately need.”
Until now only five trucks have reportedly entered the Gaza Strip via one border crossing. Even if Israel would facilitate the entry of dozens of aid trucks in the coming days, as it has promised to do, it is a far cry from the up to 600 trucks that daily entered the Gaza Strip when the ceasefire-hostage deal was agreed between Israel and Hamas in January.
Israel’s security cabinet has approved a new model for delivering aid into Gaza, in order to prevent Hamas from looting the aid, but the UN and EU’s humanitarian partners say that they cannot support it. “They are clear that they will not participate in any arrangement that does not fully respect the humanitarian principles.”
Far-right extremists in the Israeli government continue to call for a blockade of all aid. The government, under pressure of the Trump administration, has until now said that it will only allow basic or minimal supplies of humanitarian aid into Gaza to exert pressure on Hamas to agree to a new hostage release and temporary ceasefire. The government refuses to commit to permanently end the hostilities.
“Humanitarian aid should never be politicised, and Palestinian territory must not be reduced nor subjected to any demographic change,” according to the statement.
“As humanitarian donors, we have two straightforward messages for the Government of Israel: allow a full resumption of aid into Gaza immediately and enable the UN and humanitarian organisations to work independently and impartially to save lives, reduce suffering and maintain dignity. We remain committed to meeting the acute needs we see in Gaza.”
While some aid was allowed into Gaza today, it will only be a trickle amongst a sea of need, commented Wassem Mushtaha, Gaza Response Lead for Oxfam, one of the humanitarian aid organisations.
“For over 70 days Israel has been starving the people of Gaza, depriving them of food, water, medicine and essential supplies while escalating its cruel and indiscriminate bombing campaign. Two million people are on the brink of famine, and they are not just starving, but also traumatised, sick and displaced from their homes.”
“Oxfam is also concerned about Israel’s plan to take over aid operations. Instead of restoring access, this emerging system centres on restrictive border crossings, military-controlled corridors, and opaque conditions that exclude local and experienced humanitarian organisations and hinder the impartial delivery of aid.”
Review of EU - Israel Agreement
High Representative Kallas said in her press remarks before the Foreign Affairs Council meeting that she could not predict the outcome of the discussion, requested by the Dutch foreign minister, on a review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.
At the press conference after the meeting, she confirmed that there was a strong majority in favour of the review of Article 2 of the agreement but declined to give any numbers or name the countries. According to media reports, 17 of the EU Member States were in favour of the review.
Article 2 of the agreement states that “relations between the Parties, as well as all the provisions of the Agreement itself, shall be based on respect for human rights and democratic principles, which guides their internal and international policy and constitutes an essential element of this Agreement”.
“But I think what is important – where we all have similar views – is that the humanitarian aid should reach Gaza as soon as possible," Kallas said. "Of course, Israel’s decision to let some of the aid in is a drop in the ocean – it is welcomed, but it is not enough. There are thousands of trucks behind the borders waiting. It’s European money that that has funded this humanitarian aid.”
Following the discussion, the EU will now launch the review but did not set any deadline for it, expecting that the dialogue with Israel will continue and that the very announcement of the review will send a political signal to the Israeli government to take action. “In the meantime, it’s up to Israel to unblock the humanitarian aid. Saving lives must be our top priority.”
Update: A spokesperson for UN’s humanitarian office said that it had received permission from Israel for about 100 more aid trucks to enter Gaza on Tuesday. The article has also been updated to include the press remarks after the Foreign Affairs Council meeting.
