Humanitarian crisis grows in besieged Gaza Strip as more and more people fleeing Israeli bombardment (Reuters)
Leaders of the Group of Seven countries and European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called on Wednesday for a truce in the Gaza Strip and urgent action to confront the humanitarian crisis, and Paris demanded an immediate and permanent truce in the Strip, while the Belgian Prime Minister condemned settler violence in the West Bank.
In a statement, the Group of Seven leaders announced their support for a new truce in the Strip and the establishment of a Palestinian state, saying they were determined to work closely with their partners to contribute to providing the necessary conditions for lasting solutions in Gaza.
The Group of Seven expressed grave concern over the devastating impact of the war on civilians in Gaza, calling for the opening of new crossings as winter approaches to meet all needs, which are added to the Rafah crossing on the border with Egypt.
The leaders stressed the need for more effective action to prevent further displacement, protect civilian infrastructure and comply with international humanitarian law.
Instant action
Borrell said the UN Security Council should act immediately to prevent the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip from collapsing completely.
Borrell called on European members and their partners in the Security Council to support UN Secretary-General António Guterres' warning on Gaza, noting that the continuation of the war could exacerbate threats to international peace and security.
Call for a permanent truce
French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna on Wednesday, along with representatives of some 50 countries and international organizations, called for respect for international law in Gaza and the establishment of a new immediate and lasting humanitarian truce.
Colonna stressed that any new truce must lead to a ceasefire, which is a prerequisite for providing more humanitarian assistance to the civilian population in Gaza, and for the return of the political horizon.
This came while chairing a meeting of the International Humanitarian Conference for Civilians in the Gaza Strip, organized by French President Emmanuel Macron.
Macron announced that his country would increase its aid to the Gaza Strip for 2023 from 20 to 100 million euros.
Condemnation of settler violence
In Belgium, Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said his country would prevent extremist settlers from entering and would work with the European Union to enforce it.
In a speech to the University of Ghent on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, he said people in the Middle East want Europeans to feel their suffering.
In its statement, the Group of Seven also denounced the increase in settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.
Settler violence in the West Bank has increased in conjunction with the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip since the seventh of last October, which resulted in the death of more than 16,43 Palestinians and the injury of more than <>,<> Palestinians, amid the scarcity of humanitarian aid, the collapse of the health sector and the growing crisis of the displaced.
Source : Al Jazeera + Agencies