Key points
- Gaza humanitarian crisis has prompted global anger
- Military escalation in Gaza “morally unjustifiable”: UK Foreign Secretary
- The situation in Gaza is untenable: EU
ISLAMABAD: European nations ramped up pressure on Israel to abandon its intensified campaign in Gaza and let more aid into the war-ravaged territory, where rescuers said Wednesday new attacks killed at least 19 Palestinians.
AFP reported that Israel said 93 trucks had entered Gaza from Israel on Tuesday but the United Nations said the aid had been held up.
The UN announced Monday that it had been cleared to send in aid for the first time since Israel imposed a total blockade on March 2, sparking severe shortages of food and medicine.
The humanitarian crisis has prompted international anger, with the European Union saying it would review its trade cooperation deal with Israel over the blockade.
“Flour, baby food, medicine”
European Union foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas said “a strong majority” of foreign ministers from the 27 member nations backed the move, adding “the countries see that the situation in Gaza is untenable… and what we want is to unblock the humanitarian aid”.
Sweden said it would press the EU to level sanctions against Israeli ministers, AFP reported.
BBC reported that the UK has suspended talks on a trade deal with Israel, summoned the country’s ambassador and imposed fresh sanctions on West Bank settlers, as Foreign Secretary David Lammy called the military escalation in Gaza “morally unjustifiable”.
“Blocking aid, expanding the war, dismissing the concerns of your friends and partners. This is indefensible and it must stop,” AFP cited Lammy as saying.
UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher stated that the nine trucks cleared to enter on Monday were “a drop in the ocean of what is urgently needed”.
He said that 14,000 babies could die in the next 48 hours if aid did not reach them in time, BBC reported.
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Monday that Israel would “take control of all the territory of the Strip” with its new campaign. Israel resumed operations across Gaza on March 18, ending a two-month ceasefire.
“Irresponsible”
Qatar, which has been involved in mediation efforts throughout the war, said Tuesday that Israel’s “irresponsible, aggressive” behaviour had undermined the chances of a ceasefire.
Gaza’s health ministry said Tuesday at least 3,427 people have been killed since Israel resumed strikes on March 18, taking the war’s overall toll to 53,573.
