Today's Edition
SHAABAN BILAL (CAIRO)
In a conversation with Aletihad, EU spokesperson for the Middle East and North Africa, Luis Miguel Bueno, expressed the EU’s profound concern over the alarming results of the integrated food security classification in Gaza.
UN reports revealed a critical food security crisis affecting 100% of Gaza’s population, urging immediate global action to avert a dire humanitarian disaster.
“The images of innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza, particularly children, enduring such suffering are deeply disturbing,” Bueno stated.
He described scenes of parents searching for their children amidst the rubble, undergoing amputations without anaesthesia, and families living in the open in desperate search of water and food, underscoring the necessity of civilian protection under international humanitarian law.
Addressing the EU’s stance on Israeli officials’ remarks about the forced displacement of Palestinians, Bueno clarified that the EU has established fundamental principles for advancing the political process.
The EU regional spokesperson said: “The European Union unequivocally rejects any forced displacement of Palestinian people from Gaza to other countries. There must be no reduction in Gaza’s territory, reoccupation of the sector, or separation from the rest of the Palestinian territories. The resolution must encompass the entire Palestinian issue.”
He noted that the United Nations General Assembly has adopted a firm position supporting an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, with 17 EU member countries endorsing the resolution.
High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, has called on both parties to enact the resolution. Bueno welcomed international efforts in this matter, mentioning the visit of the EU’s High Representative to the region to discuss the crisis’s multifaceted impact, particularly on Lebanon’s southern borders.
He stressed the critical need to prevent regional escalation and ensure continuous humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Bueno warned of the tangible risk of increased regional tensions, prioritising the prevention of such escalation and advocating for diplomatic initiatives to establish a just and enduring peace between Israelis and Palestinians. "
He emphasised the international community’s duty to effect change in the Middle East, asserting that peace is the only path to security and stability. He reaffirmed that Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem are inseparable components of the Palestinian state.
Regarding the EU’s humanitarian efforts, Bueno disclosed that the EU has augmented its humanitarian aid to Gaza by 25 million euros, with a commitment of 100 million euros for civilian humanitarian assistance.
He highlighted the urgent need to adopt the UN Security Council resolution to enhance humanitarian aid for civilians and the imperative of adhering to international humanitarian law to move towards a sustainable cessation of hostilities.
