Following Hamas’ deadly attack against Israel on 7 October 2023, which claimed the lives of around 1,200 people and resulted in more than 200 people being taken hostage, Israel declared war against the terrorist group. It began striking the Gaza Strip from the air, later sending ground forces into the sealed-off coastal enclave. According to the Hamas-run health ministry, more than 11,000 Palestinians, including a large number of civilians, have so far been killed. MEPs take stock of the latest developments, and discuss the regional and global implications of the renewed hostilities as well as the prospects for peace and security in the Middle East. Opening statements by Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of a stronger Europe in the World and Janez LENARČIČ, European Commissioner for Crisis Management.

statement

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

EU - Israel (T)

EU - Palestine (T)

Humanitarian aid (T2)

BORRELL FONTELLES, Josep (PSE, ES, EC)

LENARČIČ, Janez (SI, EC)

Situation in the Middle East (T)

Key debate - Humanitarian situation in Gaza: opening statements by Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HR/VP of the European Commission and Janez LENARČIČ, European Commissioner for Crisis Management

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Dear President. Ladies and gentlemen, I've just returned from a five day mission to the countries of the Middle East, Arab countries and Palestine. There I witnessed the high degree of emotion with which what's happening there is being followed by it all. And it ought to be possible to have a debate on what is going on there without emotion and looking further beyond towards the building of peace.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, It is the case that on October the seventh, the world witnessed the greatest massacre of Jews that had ever occurred since the Second World War and then witnessed the bombing of Gaza defined by the United Nations, described by the United Nations as an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, but not a natural catastrophe.

'SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Not a natural disaster, but something that was brought about as a result of a blockade preventing essential supplies for the populations survival from getting through, which is another kind of massacre. Is there no interpretation?

'SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, I was saying that I'm just back from a five day trip to where this dramatic conflict is under way and that we ought to be able to get over the degree of emotion that is overwhelming those involved. We ought to be able to look further towards a future of peace, because there ought that ought to be possible because we are witnessing the greatest massacre or pogrom of Jews since the Second World War. We're seeing how the bombing in Gaza has caused an unprecedented disaster, not a natural one, but has been brought about by man, by humankind, because the supply of basic provisions has been stopped.

'SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, The United Nations described this as carnage,and it ought to be possible to recognise the right of Israel, to defend itself and simultaneously to be indignant about what's happening for us, to be indignant about what's happening in Gaza to civilians.

'SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, We ought to be able to defend the Israelis rights to have a state without that meaning, we'd be criticised for being partisan. It ought to be possible to criticise the policies of Israel because governmental or government or countries policies can be criticised without one's to being accused of not liking the Jews. Let's not jumble things up. One thing is to criticise a country and a different thing is to reject is to express rejection of a part of the population.

'SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, But I also saying that what one sometimes sees the expressions are of the ugliest sides of the Jewish attitude doesn't help. And when we describe them, it doesn't help the Palestinian cause. The international Court has begun investigations and its chief prosecutor, Karen Kam, who I've been in touch with, are investigating what's going on and have sent very serious warnings to both parties stating that Israel also has clear obligations in the context of the war that it's waging against Hamas, not just moral obligations, but also legal obligations arising from the law on arms, law on armed conflict.

'SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, And having to do with the prevention of access to basic supplies by the population, and that every school, every hospital, every church, every mosque is a an area that is protected. And unless they lose that status as protected areas because they're being used for military purposes, then they need to be respected as such.

'SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, And if there's any doubt as to whether a given a territory or a given property has or has not lost its status as a protected place, the attacker has to assume that it's still protected by default or show proof that it has forfeited that status and has to make it possible for the civilians there to leave. Similarly, indiscriminate rocket attacks by Hamas against Israel are also an infringement of international humanitarian law, and I was one of the earliest people to say that preventing access of water or access to water and electricity and staple supplies is an infringement of international humanitarian law.

'SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, And the prosecutor of the international Criminal Court is saying it's not me, it is saying I'm just told Israel that it should be making efforts without further delay to ensure the access of supplies and medicines and anaesthetics on the part of the civilians. The European Union is extremely concerned about what's happening. More specifically, we've expressed our concern about the attacks by Israeli settlers against civilians in the West Bank and elsewhere, and these are ongoing, and the prosecutor of the ICC has done the same.

'SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, As you know, I represent the Council and thus all member states. And you're also aware that it's not easy because sometimes the member states have not spoken with a single voice. If you take, for example, the vote in the General Assembly of United Nations, where eight of our member states voted in favour of a humanitarian pause and four voted against and the rest abstained.

'SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, There is a joint position in the European Council which does speak in favour of pauses, plural and humanitarian corridors and requests that when Israel exercises her rights to defence to defend herself, it should do so in line with international laws on war. But to date, different leaders in Europe have expressed different views on the way in which Israel is exercising that rights to defence.

'SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, When there isn't a joint position, the High Representative can't express that joint position because it doesn't exist. But it has to go on working to see that it is built. He has to try to ensure that in future the Member States can converge in such a way that they can bring some geopolitical pressure to bear geopolitical influence to bear on this conflict. And this is what we're trying to do.

'SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Fully persuaded that there cannot be a military solution to this conflict. One cannot kill an idea. The only way is to get a better idea. And the better idea here can only be to recognise that when you have two peoples that have been fighting over the same land for more than 100 years, they need to be able to live together. If the international community is committed to that and the interest community has not yet been thus.

'SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, In the 30 years since the Oslo Agreements, we've been repeating two state solution. The solution is two states. A solution is two states. We've repeated that, but we've done very little or nothing to bring it about. We thought that the idea that the problem could be compartmentalised because one side was already peaceful and the other wasn't.

'SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, But this drama that's exploded has shown us that there needs to be a peace not just between Palestine and Israel, but also between Israel and Palestine. And for that to be the case, all of us, notably we Europeans, need to become committed to getting over the huge grief and pain that these events begun by Hamas's attacks beyond its borders and Gaza brought about.

'SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, This could be the opportunity for peace to be built. And this is what the European Union wishes to do. We have put forward proposals three yeses, three nos. Gaza can't be under Hamas's control. It can't be controlled by Israel in the future. It cannot be divided.

'SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Three negatives. Three Positives. There has to be a Palestine Authority in Gaza as well. The Israelis have to commit themselves not just to build finance construction, but we Europeans also need to be part of a solution that can only involve something that we've been expressing the need for years, which is peaceful coexistence between two peoples that are in conflict, which need to be able to share the same area, the same land in peace. Thank you very much.

SOUNDBITE (English), Janez LENARČIČ, European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Mr. President, honourable members of the European Parliament, Distinguished High Representative body, Let me at the outset reiterate in the strongest terms our condemnation of the heinous attack by Hamas on Israel last month and underline that Israel has the right to defend itself while respecting international law, in particular international humanitarian law.

SOUNDBITE (English), Janez LENARČIČ, European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Also, as stated by President von der Leyen earlier today, we wholeheartedly welcome the agreement reached on the release of the 50 hostages and on the pause of hostilities. We stress at the same time the urgent need for all hostages to be released immediately, and we will work with our humanitarian partners to use the pause for the humanitarian surge in Gaza.

SOUNDBITE (English), Janez LENARČIČ, European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Allow me to focus on three issues in my intervention. The humanitarian situation in Gaza, including the question of access into Gaza. The European Union's humanitarian response and the outlook beyond the immediate humanitarian crisis. First, on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, there has been no letup in the intense bombardment and fighting in Gaza.

SOUNDBITE (English), Janez LENARČIČ, European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Casualty rates remain very high. At least 12,700 Palestinians are reported killed, including a very high proportion of women and children. 1.7 million people are displaced within Gaza. Thousands are currently on the move. We are seeing ongoing attacks on and fighting around medical facilities which are protected under the international humanitarian law.

SOUNDBITE (English), Janez LENARČIČ, European Commissioner for Crisis Management, There is an acute shortage across Gaza of all the most basic necessities: food, medicines, including anaesthetics, water. According to the United Nations, food assistance currently covers only 10% of the minimum caloric intake. Medical facilities are either on the brink of collapse or have already shut down.

SOUNDBITE (English), Janez LENARČIČ, European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Only nine out of 35 hospitals in Gaza are reportedly still functioning, and this only partially. The toll on the United Nations and on aid and medical workers in Gaza has been appalling. At least 108 staff members of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) alone have been killed since the beginning of this crisis.

SOUNDBITE (English), Janez LENARČIČ, European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Humanitarian access into Gaza remains extremely challenging. Over the last month, fewer than 50 trucks a day on average have been going into Gaza through the Rafah crossing from Egypt. This is woefully inadequate and for several days last week, not a single truck was able to get in. The acute shortage of fuel in Gaza remains a major constraint.

SOUNDBITE (English), Janez LENARČIČ, European Commissioner for Crisis Management, The agreement on 18 November by Israel to allow 120,000 litres of fuel for humanitarian operations is a step in the right direction, but will only cover one third of the daily critical needs. Without fuel Trucks cannot move and humanitarian actors cannot operate. Fuel is vital for hospitals, for clean water. It is needed for treatment of sewage. To avert the looming public health crisis and for mobile networks without which no humanitarian assistance can be delivered inside Gaza.

SOUNDBITE (English), Janez LENARČIČ, European Commissioner for Crisis Management, 'The amount of fuel available to humanitarian actors in any humanitarian crisis should depend on their needs and needs alone. Second, on EU response. As president Von der Leyen announced, we have quadrupled our humanitarian funding for the occupied Palestinian territory to more than €100 million. This is being rolled out as we speak, supporting our accredited partners on the ground for the United Nations, the Red Cross and Red Crescent and International non-government organisations.

SOUNDBITE (English), Janez LENARČIČ, European Commissioner for Crisis Management, 'They are distributing food and water, maintaining emergency medical services where possible, helping with mass casualty management, ensuring basic hygiene and so on. And we are continuously ramping up our European in-kind response. There have already been 15 EU humanitarian airbridge flights so far for Gaza and more are in the pipeline. These are cargo flights for our humanitarian partners and for our Member States.

SOUNDBITE (English), Janez LENARČIČ, European Commissioner for Crisis Management, President Von der Leyen was on the ground last week and during the unloading of one of our flights. Most of the cargo from these flights has already gone into Gaza. We have, moreover, established a joint coordination cell with the Red Cross and Red Crescent to organise and channel our assistance.

SOUNDBITE (English), Janez LENARČIČ, European Commissioner for Crisis Management, In parallel, we are helping the Egyptian Red Crescent to further build up its logistical capacity and through the Union's civil protection mechanism. We are supporting Egypt's frontline medical response. The key challenge to repeat is access access for humanitarian assistance into Gaza. In the first instance, this means allowing a sufficient number of trucks into Gaza through Rafah and, if possible, opening another land crossing.

SOUNDBITE (English), Janez LENARČIČ, European Commissioner for Crisis Management, But we should also explore all other possible avenues for allowing additional assistance into Gaza. Ensuring adequate humanitarian access will also require putting in place urgent and extended humanitarian pauses throughout Gaza and for a sufficient number of days as called for last week by the United Nations Security Council in its Resolution 2712, which was facilitated by Malta.

SOUNDBITE (English), Janez LENARČIČ, European Commissioner for Crisis Management, We hope that the agreement on the pause of hostilities that has just been reached will allow for the substantial surge in humanitarian aid delivery into and within Gaza. And we certainly hope that this will not be a one off.

SOUNDBITE (English), Janez LENARČIČ, European Commissioner for Crisis Management, 'Third, on the prospects for Gaza and the broader Israel-Palestine conflict I represented, we spoke about that already. Even as we respond to the immediate humanitarian challenges and to do everything we can to promote respect for international humanitarian law, we need a step change in efforts to put work on a political solution to the conflict back on track.

SOUNDBITE (English), Janez LENARČIČ, European Commissioner for Crisis Management, This means reinvigorating and accelerating efforts that have long been stalled towards a two state solution is the only way forward that can offer hope to both Palestinians and Israelis. More specifically, this will require working towards a solution for Gaza as an integral part of a solution to the broader Israeli Palestinian issue.

SOUNDBITE (English), Janez LENARČIČ, European Commissioner for Crisis Management, 'Preventing any forcible displacement of Palestinians out of Gaza, preventing any return of Hamas to Gaza as well as any long term Israeli security presence in Gaza, urgently de-escalating the situation in the West Bank and in particular stopping the extremist settler violence, which has increased dramatically in recent weeks and supporting a legitimate Palestinian Authority in administering Gaza.

SOUNDBITE (English), Janez LENARČIČ, European Commissioner for Crisis Management, There is no alternative to engaging now if we are to break the spiral of violence, restore hope to people in Palestine and Israel, and prevent broader instability in the Middle East. Thank you.