In the conflict between Islamic Hamas and Israel, we call for continued, rapid, safe and unhindered access to the delivery of aid. The necessary measures also included “humanitarian corridors and humanitarian breaks”.
The EU will work closely with partners in the region to protect civilians, provide assistance and facilitate access to food, water, medical care, fuel and shelter, the statement added. The aim is to ensure that this aid is not misused by terrorist organisations.
Dispute over ceasefire
The result of the summit was evident throughout Thursday. A draft circulated earlier in the day called for “humanitarian corridors and breaks for humanitarian needs” so that humanitarian aid deliveries can reach the Gaza Strip. Recently, EU member states still disagreed on the exact wording.
Portal/Yves Herman In Brussels, there was a fight for a summit declaration late into the night
There has been a heated dispute in the EU in recent days, especially over demands for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire for the Gaza Strip. Countries such as Germany and Austria have spoken out against the EU’s public embrace of such calls. They argued that such a measure was inappropriate given the continued terror of the radical Islamic group Hamas.
Countries such as Spain and Ireland, however, supported this call due to the many civilian casualties in Israeli attacks on targets in the Gaza Strip. The use of words such as “humanitarian corridors” and “disruptions” in the plural in the statement is a compromise and intended to make clear that the EU is not calling on Israel to stop fighting Hamas with immediate effect.
Hamas atrocities are condemned
With regard to atrocities committed by the Palestinian organization Hamas, the statement states that the European Council strongly condemns Hamas and its brutal and indiscriminate attacks throughout Israel. The use of civilians as human shields is particularly deplorable cruelty.
We strongly emphasize Israel’s right to defend itself in accordance with international humanitarian law. EU states also pledged that they would support efforts for an international peace conference.
Portal/Johanna Geron There were also pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Brussels
Nehammer spoke out against a ceasefire
Before the agreement, Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) called for “decisive action” against Hamas and spoke out against a ceasefire. “All fantasies about ceasefires, ceasefires, etc. they make Hamas feel empowered,” he said in Brussels. Due to its historical responsibility, Austria considers itself a “defender” of Israel. There should be “no compromise” in the fight against Hamas.
But Austria is in favor of opening humanitarian corridors at short notice to bring humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. “It is clear that the guns are silent at this time. But only in this case”, says Nehammer. “If we want security for the EU, if we want security for the people of Europe, we have to fight the terrorist organization Hamas.”
Scholz: Conflict must not increase “across the entire region”.
Before the start of the meeting in Brussels, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said it was important “to do everything in our power to prevent this conflict from worsening throughout the region”, for example through Hezbollah or Iran. Scholz stressed that it was also about making it clear together that the EU supports Israel in defending its own country against the “terrible attack by Hamas”.
debate
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The population of the Gaza Strip is also victims of Hamas, which came to power through a coup d’état. Israel is “a democratic state with very humanitarian principles.” Scholz said he was certain that the Israeli army observed the rules of international law and had no doubts about it.
Sánchez supported Guterres
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, whose country currently holds the Presidency of the Council, clearly spoke out in favor of a “humanitarian pause” at the start of the summit. As head of the Spanish government, he would advocate a “ceasefire and a humanitarian ceasefire.” The suffering in Gaza is unacceptable. He supports UN Secretary-General António Guterres in his calls for an “urgent opening of the humanitarian corridor to provide aid”.
For Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, Israel’s right to defend itself cannot be an excuse to isolate the Gaza Strip and “starve” the Palestinian population. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte urgently appealed to Israel to allow humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban also did not want to make any commitments when he arrived at the European Council.
Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said the vast majority of EU countries want a ceasefire. It’s not about the words, but about the end of the violence and killing. It is important to understand that different EU countries have different views due to their history. In Ireland there is a lot of sympathy for the Palestinians due to their own history (the fight for independence from Britain, note).