European Union leaders have joined global calls for a "humanitarian pause" as well as air corridors in Gaza as the war between Israel and the Hamas militant group continues to intensify.
The calls come as the Gaza Strip reels under an Israeli bombardment and siege. Leaders at an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday issued a declaration. They called for a halt to the fighting in the area in order to establish humanitarian corridors and get much-needed aid into the embattled region.
EU Leaders Call for Humanitarian Pause in Gaza
The declaration added that the European Council expressed its gravest concern for the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza. It was calling for continued, rapid, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access and aid to reach those in need through all necessary measures.
It was made amid growing criticism from the Middle East regarding Israel's campaign of air raids and a "complete siege" of the Gaza Strip. The region has been cut off from access to food, water, electricity, and fuel, impacting roughly 2 million to 3 million residents, as per Aljazeera.
The Thursday summit was the first in-person meeting since the Hamas militant group carried out its attacks on Israel on Oct. 7. The assault resulted in the death of more than 1,400, the majority of whom were civilians.
Many global parties have condemned Hamas' attack with grim scenes emerging from towns in southern Israel where Palestinian gunmen massacred families and kidnapped hundreds. The EU leaders reiterated prior calls for the immediate release of the hostages "without any precondition."
They also emphasized Israel's right to defend itself "in line with international law." However, those statements were similar to what others have made, including the United States. They rang hollow to some as Israel continues to carry out devastating air strikes in Gaza.
Europe's attention has become divided following the surge of bloodshed during a time of doubts regarding the West's ability to keep supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia. The leaders spent five hours discussing before coming up with the declaration, according to Yahoo News.
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Israel-Hamas War
On Friday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that there was no contradiction between showing solidarity with Israel and acting on the need for humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza.
The 27-nation bloc has also been divided for a long time between more pro-Palestinian members such as Ireland and Spain and staunch supporters of Israel such as Germany and Austria.
The EU's call for a humanitarian pause and aid for Gaza fell short of the demands made by the United Nations for a "ceasefire." This comes despite a last-ditch effort from Spain to toughen the language.
The conversation at the summit that led to the declaration was so delicate that several EU diplomats said mobile phones were not allowed inside the room. Additionally, leaders kept diplomats in the dark regarding the discussions.
European Council President Charles Michel also welcomed the "strong unity" among EU leaders. His comments came as foreign ministers discussed the advantages of a humanitarian pause or pauses, said Politico.
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