European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen announced an additional 25 million euros in humanitarian aid for Gaza at a meeting of European Union (EU) diplomats on Monday, the 6th of November, bringing the EU’s total humanitarian aid to Gaza this year to more than €100 million, reports Politico.
Speaking at the annual meeting of the EU diplomatic body, Ursula von der Leyen said that “two weeks ago we already tripled our aid to Gaza”. In her speech she stressed that Israel, while having the right to defend itself, must try to minimise civilian casualties in the conflict with Hamas.
Israel is attacking the Gaza Strip in response to the 7th of October attack of Hamas, in which 1 400 Israelis were killed and 240 taken hostage. Hamas-controlled health authorities claim that more than 9 770 Palestinians have been killed since the attack.
Despite mounting international pressure on Israel to reduce civilian casualties, Israel rejects calls for a ceasefire in Gaza,
insisting that a ceasefire will only be imposed if hostages are released.
EU leaders at the annual meeting also stressed the importance of establishing “humanitarian corridors and pauses” to deliver aid to the Palestinians.
At the same conference, Josep Borrell, stressing the need to apply international law and prevent civilian casualties, proposed the idea of “humanitarian pauses counterbalanced by Red Cross access” to allow the Red Cross to work for the release of hostages.
Red also: Israeli army breaks Gaza Strip into two parts