Rafah: High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell has condemned the Gaza crisis as “human-made” and stressed the need for a political resolution during his visit to Egypt’s Rafah border crossing with Gaza.
“What is happening just on the other side of this wall is not a crisis created by nature… it is a human-made crisis,” Borrell told reporters on Monday. He said the crisis began with an “attack by Hamas almost one year ago”, but added that “one horror cannot justify another horror”.
The EU foreign policy chief described the situation in Gaza as “a massive violation of human rights”, noting that only a fraction of aid trucks waiting at the border are entering Gaza daily, Xinhua news agency reported.
“Today, 1,400 trucks (are) waiting to enter. On a good day, maybe 50 will come in. In Ramadan time, they were 600 per day,” he said.
The EU diplomat stressed the need for a political solution, saying that “to feed someone with a dinner tonight, in order to be killed tomorrow, is not exactly the solution.”
He called for a ceasefire, the release of hostages, and an end to bombing.
Earlier, Borrell met with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi to discuss the Gaza situation and its regional impact.
The Rafah crossing, the main entry point for aid into Gaza and an evacuation route for those in dire need of medical treatment, has been closed since May 7 when Israel said it took control of the Palestinian side.
Israel has been conducting large-scale military operations in Gaza since October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people. Around 41,000 Palestinians have been killed in the ensuing conflict, according to the health authorities in Gaza.
–IANS