Gaza: 27th meeting to discuss call for ‘humanitarian pause’

The heads of state and government of the European Union are expected in Brussels this afternoon. In Europe’s 27 countries, some countries are more pro-Palestinian, such as Ireland and Spain, while others are more pro-Israel, such as Germany and Austria.

For now, all countries of the Union have strongly condemned the unprecedented Hamas attack on October 7, which killed at least 1,400 people and more than 220 hostages, four of whom have been released since Friday evening.

However, according to the Hamas Health Ministry, there is less consensus on ending Israel’s retaliatory bombing of the Gaza Strip, which has killed more than 6,500 people. In addition, at least 95 Palestinians were killed in the West Bank, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said.

After several days of negotiations among the Twenty-Seven, the latest version of the summit declaration calls for “prolonged, rapid, safe and unimpeded humanitarian access and the delivery of aid to those in need through all necessary measures, including a humanitarian pause.” The declaration, which is still subject to change, does not include a United Nations demand for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire.” France sent a warship and plane to “support” hospitals in Gaza.

Germany defends the creation of “humanitarian windows” in the plural. “Pretending that we need to make peace or establish a ceasefire is not suitable for the current situation,” Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said yesterday.

The fact remains that these divisions and delays risk damaging the EU’s reputation, according to some European diplomats, and the death toll continues to rise.

Calm Ukraine

At the same time, the war in the Middle East has also raised concerns among some that it will eclipse the one Russia waged against Ukraine for 20 months. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz vowed on Tuesday that “this support will in no way be affected by the fact that, after the terrible morning hours of October 7, we reached out to Israel and the Middle East with the greatest compassion and concern.” » Against this backdrop, European leaders will seek to push through a range of measures, including 20 billion euros, aimed at reassuring Ukraine and ensuring it remains capable of fending off Russian aggression.

The summit will also include calls for a new round of sanctions against Moscow, which are expected to include Russian diamond exports once the G7 agrees on ways to track them. The heads of state and government will also discuss ways to use proceeds from frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine.