EU says Rafah offensive puts “heavy strain” on ties to Israel
The European Union made a statement on May 15th urging Israel to end its military operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah “immediately,” warning that failure to do so would undermine ties with the bloc, Arab News and agencies reported.
“The European Union urges Israel to end its military operation in Rafah immediately,” the statement said, issued by EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell. It added that Israel’s continued violence in the region was “further disrupting the distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza and is leading to more internal displacement, exposure to famine and human suffering.”
Rafah is currently home to 1.3 displaced Palestinians seeking refuge — making it an overcrowded breeding ground for disease. Additionally, on March 22nd the World Bank warned that hunger levels in the territory approached that of famine level.
The bloc — the main aid donor for the Palestinian territories and Israel’s biggest trading partner — said Israel ordered more than a million people in and around Rafah to flee the area to other zones the UN says cannot be considered safe.
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“Should Israel continue its military operation in Rafah, it would inevitably put a heavy strain on the EU’s relationship with Israel,” the statement read. “While the EU recognizes Israel’s right to defend itself, Israel must do so in line with International Humanitarian Law and provide safety to civilians.”
The statement also stressed Israel’s legal obligation to allow for humanitarian aid — a facet that the country has been accused of deliberately hindering. Following the death of the UN’s first international employee since the beginning of the Gaza war, deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq noted the approximate 190 UNRWA employees that have also been killed.
The EU also condemned Hamas’s attack on the Kerem Shalom border crossing which consequently blocked humanitarian relief supplies.
“We call on all parties to redouble their efforts to achieve an immediate ceasefire and the unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas,” the statement said.
Arab News and agencies