The leaders of the 27 member states of the European Union have called this Thursday for a “humanitarian pause that leads to a sustainable ceasefire” in Gaza. Since the conflict broke out on October 7, it is the first time that, albeit mildly, the EU mentions the ceasefire in an official statement such as the one agreed on this day in Brussels. Although on the same day the United States has changed its tone and is already demanding at the UN a ceasefire in Gaza linked to the release of the hostages held by Hamas, the Twenty-Seven have not gone that far yet. Six months have passed since the Hamas attacks against Israel that led to the offensive on the Strip, where the dead are already in the tens of thousands and the risk of famine is tangible.
The agreement to introduce this timid call for a ceasefire has been achieved under pressure from Spain, Belgium and Ireland – which consider the formula reached as progress – and after Austria and the Czech Republic abandoned their opposition to the concept, alleging that it undermines Israel's right to self-defense. The president of the European Council, Charles Michel, has defined the agreement as “strong”. “It has taken us a while to be united, but today we are finally showing that we are a credible actor and can play a useful role in making Israel respect international law,” Michel added.
“The European Council is deeply concerned about the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and its disproportionate effect on civilians,” the leaders say in the summit declaration this Thursday in Brussels. The Twenty-Seven urge the Israeli Government not to undertake the ground operation in Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians take refuge. “It would worsen the already catastrophic humanitarian situation and prevent the urgent provision of basic services and humanitarian assistance,” they warn. The leaders also call for the adoption of sanctions against violent and extremist settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, something that the Foreign Ministers advanced on Monday and that some countries, such as Spain, have already decided unilaterally.
As Israel seeks to undermine the work of the United Nations Palestine Refugee Agency (UNRWA), and following accusations that some of its employees participated in Hamas attacks, the EU has declared the agency's work “essential” both in Gaza and in the rest of the region. A boost to the organization – to which some member states suspended funding – and to the UN. In fact, the Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, participated in part of the meeting and warned that the situation in the Strip is critical. Guterres, who has called on the EU not to have double standards, one with Gaza and the other with Ukraine, has stressed that the large number of civilian victims in the region is unprecedented in his time at the head of the UN, in January 2017.
The most forceful voice at the beginning of the meeting, as usual, was that of the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell: “What is happening today in Gaza is the failure of humanity, it is not a humanitarian crisis, it is not an earthquake, it is not a flood, we are talking about bombings. The only way to stop this human and humanitarian crisis is for Israel to respect civilians and let aid into Gaza.”
Follow all the international information on Facebook y Xor our weekly newsletter.
Join EL PAÍS to follow all the news and read without limits.
Subscribe
Subscribe to continue reading
Read without limits
_