EU governments want assurances that Israel is respecting the terms of the agreement, and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has said that Israel must improve the situation in Gaza, writes Politico.
Several EU countries are looking for ways to make sure that Israel is fulfilling the terms of the aid agreement. Kallas said on the 15th of July: “We see some positive signs when it comes to border crossings, we see some positive signs of them reconstructing electricity lines … providing water, also more trucks of humanitarian aid coming in. But of course we need to see more in order to see real improvement for people on the ground.”
The agreement, which Brussels signed with Israel last week, stipulates that Israel will deliver more food, fuel and other essential goods to Gaza, as well as open more border crossings. Israel has been waging war in Gaza for almost two years.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar told reporters on the 14th of July that the terms of the agreement were being respected, and dodged questions from reporters about the killings of civilians at aid distribution points, instead blaming the terrorist organization Hamas for diverting humanitarian aid.
Kallas plans to present other politicians with options to limit relations with Israel,
and the list includes options ranging from suspending trade to accepting fewer exchange students. However, several EU diplomats told Politico that the bloc is unlikely to seriously pursue any of these options. At the same time, ministers promised to delve into the nuances of the EU-Israel agreement and ways to ensure that all conditions are met.
An EU official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Politico that the terms of the agreement include the delivery of 160 aid shipments to Gaza every day and the opening of eight additional border crossings.
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