A delegation of European Union ambassadors to the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank paid a collective visit to the Gaza Strip, to see the deteriorating health and humanitarian conditions in the Strip, after 4 years of absence.

The visit comes at a time when the Gaza Strip is witnessing tragic conditions as a result of the Israeli blockade and the deteriorating economic situation due to the Corona pandemic.

48 diplomats were closely acquainted with projects implemented by the European Union in the sector, but the most prominent visit was to the epidemiology hospital, which no longer tolerates more infections with the Coronavirus, and is more than ever unable to secure medical supplies and necessary drugs.

The representative of the European Union in the territories of the Palestinian Authority, Sven Kuhn von Burgsdorf, said that the situation in the Gaza Strip is rapidly deteriorating with the Corona pandemic, and called on all responsible parties to respect their obligations under international law.

"We hope that we will succeed in enabling the Palestinian Authority to have access to the vaccine (...), because the matter is difficult and complicated," he said, indicating that once "the vaccine is available, the union will communicate with the United Nations, to deliver it to those who work in the first line in the Palestinian health sector, and to those who deserve this from patients." And others. "

He pointed out that the union has conducted an assessment of the needs of the Gaza Strip and the Corona casualties, and is working with the World Health Organization, and other international institutions, to provide support for the Epidemiology Hospital in Gaza and the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

The European delegation paid a field visit to the desalination plant project (west of Deir Al-Balah, in the middle of the sector), funded by the Union, indicating that this project will be expanded in the middle of next year.

The European official stated that during the month of June or next July, the station will be expanded, and fresh water, safe to drink, will be delivered to about 200,000 people.

"Gaza remains a priority for the European Union and its member states. We in Gaza are not only facing a humanitarian crisis, but we are facing political questions that have been left unanswered for a long time," Burgsdorf said.

"Nearly two million people have been living under closure for 13 years and are paying the high price for the internal Palestinian division," he added. "Generations of young men and women are losing hope, waiting for solutions that have not been achieved."

The European delegation met with a group of representatives of civil society organizations, who shared with it disturbing details related to the economic and social situation in the sector.

Hamas welcomes

For its part, Hamas welcomed the visit of the European delegation, and expressed its hope that the European Union would put pressure on Israel to lift its blockade of the Strip.

The first local cases of the virus were discovered in the Gaza Strip last August.

And the Ministry of Health in the sector announced in a statement Monday evening that it had received about 20,000 laboratory test strips through the World Health Organization, indicating that this quantity is sufficient for 8 days.

The ministry said the central laboratory could resume testing after 24 hours.

The measures to combat the outbreak of the virus, which the Ministry of Interior in Gaza announced last Thursday, took effect on Saturday.

The announced measures included the closure of mosques, schools, universities, kindergartens, and weekly popular markets.

The measures also included the imposition of a complete curfew on Friday and Saturday, which will continue until the end of December, in addition to the night curfew, which begins daily at 18:30 local time and ends in the early morning.