Gaza: Speech by the High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell in the EP plenary on the civilian deaths

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Dear President, Excellencies,

More than six months after the Hamas terrorist attacks, that we continue condemning in the strongest possible terms, the war started in Gaza. This is a watershed moment for the Middle East. We had yesterday the meeting with the Gulf countries [EU-GCC High-Level Forum on Regional Security and Cooperation] and this was very high on our agenda.

The recent Iranian strikes against Israel was also a clear escalatory attack, but we must not forget at the same time the gravity of human suffering in Gaza. The figures are there: more than 34,000 people killed, mostly civilians, women, children, twice this number wounded, 75% of the population displaced, at the brink of famine. We know that dozens of children have been already starved to death.

The cities in Gaza have been more destroyed than the German cities during the Second World War - just imagine the comparison.

A recent Interim Damage Assessment by the World Bank and by the United Nations, which has been supported financially by the European Union, assessed the direct damage at about $19 billion. This would be the cost of rebuilding the infrastructure of Gaza. [This is how it] was at the end of January 2024, so imagine now, [the situation is] much worse. I can say that more than 60% of the physical infrastructure has been damaged, and 35% fully destroyed.

At least 249 aid workers have been killed - I am talking about aid workers - according to the United Nations, since the 7th of October. Among them, 181 United Nations staff. I think that we have to pay tribute to all aid agencies, including UNRWA, which - UNRWA alone - have lost 178 employees.

Then come these Israeli strikes against the convoy of the World Central Kitchen that killed seven humanitarian workers, while they were delivering aid to the most vulnerable in Gaza.

But keep in mind, we were very moved by these seven people being killed, but before them there were 249, also being killed and maybe we were not as moved. People around the world say, "yes, that is very bad. These seven humanitarian workers deserve all our homage, but keep in mind that together there were 249 more".

Together with Commissioner [for Crisis Management, Janez] Lenarčič, we publicly called for a credible investigation.

We are also appalled by the number of journalists and media workers which have been killed by the strikes in Gaza: about 100 journalists and media workers as per Reporters Without Borders' recount, in less than six months. This is unprecedented. Journalists are civilians and their voices are crucial to keeping disinformation at bay and citizens being informed.

We are also concerned about the newly adopted legislation giving temporary power to the Israeli Government to prevent foreign media networks from operating in Israel. This, coupled with the lack of access to foreign media to Gaza, raises further concerns about what we know about what is going [on] there.

We have to repeat once again that Israel must respect international law, implement the International Court of Justice's provisional measures, ensure the protection of all civilians, and allow humanitarian workers to do their lifesaving job without being targeted.

For the first time, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) recognised, that it was a dramatic error, that it was a mistake, the killing of these humanitarian workers. The question is: how many mistakes have been happening before, without being recognised?

We insist on the fact that journalists have to protected, and [have] to [be] granted access to Gaza to ensure the freedom of press.

The European Council has insisted - and I am here representing the common ground of all Member States according to the conclusions of the European Council - that an immediate humanitarian pause leading to a sustainable ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages and the provision of humanitarian assistance are the guidelines of the European Union, as decided by the European Council on the last 17^th of April.

But we have to do more and ask everybody to do more to protect civilians, and ease the humanitarian catastrophe by increasing the flow of humanitarian aid, which is [unimpeded], which is not [without] obstacles. Yes, there are obstacles.

Yesterday, my colleague [Janez] Lenarčič was explaining the number of conditions that this aid has to fulfil in order to be allowed to come into Gaza. We need more access by land routes, more access points.

The recent decisions by Israel to open the Ashdod port and the Erez crossing points are positive news, but they have to be implemented. It is not a matter of "announcing", it is a matter of "doing". And for the time being, it is done at a very slow pace and very low quantity. This is a fact.

Quicker checks and better distribution remain crucial to alleviate people's suffering. And is crucial that Israel complies with the UN Security Council's binding resolution 2728 demanding full humanitarian access. And on that also, the Europeans are fully behind.

Finally, a ground operation in Rafah must be avoided. There are more than 1.3 million people on the streets of Rafah, without no more shelter than a piece of plastic over their heads. The humanitarian consequences would be catastrophic. Everybody is saying that - the United States, the European Union, Member States. We insisted in the G7. We insisted at the Foreign Affairs Council.

And then, we have to say that the work of UNRWA has to be supported. And yesterday, the former Minister [for Foreign Affairs of France] Catherine Colonna's report, that UN Secretary-General [Antonio] Guterres tasked her to do has been issued. I think that it is important to read this report. It is important to know what this very independent and very professional group of people have been studying and what they tell us.

I think there is a strong convergence of views between the analysis and recommendations of this Independent Review Group with the measures that we have been discussing at the European Union institutions. We are now waiting to see how do we continue our cooperation with UNRWA, because what the report says is that, they have not found any proof of the accusations made against some workers of UNRWA. And that, yes, there is some problem of political neutrality - but this is one thing, and another thing is to participate in the terrorist attacks of the 7^th of October.

We welcome the UNRWA cooperation and, as Ms Colonna said, it is an irreplaceable lifeline for hundreds of thousands of people; calling the international community to fund UNRWA in order to make this institution to continue their work.

I have to pay tribute to the seven humanitarian workers killed when they worked at the World Central Kitchen, but also the 249 people who were killed before. I have to pay tribute to all the victims: of the Hamas attack, and the Israeli army against Gaza, to the more than 100 journalists and media reporters.

We have to ask this tragedy to end. And I repeat: the European Council asked for the implementation of the United Nations' resolution; asked for the immediate release of the hostages; asked for more access for humanitarian; asked for a humanitarian pause that brings to a permanent ceasefire, and most importantly, asked to look for a political solution.

We cannot say, "this is just a humanitarian problem". It is, and it has to be immediately faced, but it is a political problem. And we have to join our forces, as we agreed to do yesterday with the Gulf countries, in order to look for a political solution that can only be based - I believe, we believe, at the European Union - on the two-state solution. And if there is someone that does not believe in that solution, then he has to tell us which is the alternative.

You do not want the Palestinians to have their own state, in order to live in peace and security side by side with Israel? If you do not want this solution, you have to tell the international community which other solutions you have in mind, in order to ensure peace, prosperity, and security for these two people that for too many years have been fighting for the same land.

We condemn all terrorist activities, but we want humanitarian law being respected. We want the hostilities to stop, humanitarian support to come in, the hostages being released and a political process to [be] put in place in order to look for a political solution to this dramatic war.

Thank you.

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