EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Monday that Israel should be pressed not to attack the southern Gazan city of Rafah where 1.7 million Palestinians are stranded with nowhere else to go.
The call comes amid reports of nearly 100 Palestinians, including women and children, being killed in Israeli airstrikes during a rescue operation for two captives.
“Even the U.S., the strongest supporter of Israel, the President (Joe) Biden himself, considers that this action is disproportionate, the toll of civilians being killed is unbearable and (is) warning Israel not to continue this way,” Borrell said.
“If you believe the toll of death is too high, maybe you can do something about it,” he said, adding that the EU is not providing Israel with weapons, unlike the U.S.
“We should do more than expressing concern,” he added.
Speaking at a meeting of EU development ministers in Brussels, Borrell also said that the U.N. agency for Palestinians UNRWA needs to be able to continue its work while allegations that 12 of its 13,000 staff in Gaza were involved in the Oct. 7 Hamas incursion on Israel are investigated.
“Nobody else can do what UNRWA is doing, allegations need to be verified … let’s wait for the investigations to take place,” Borrell said.
“In the meantime, people have to continue to eat, have to continue going to the doctors,” he added.
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