EU official: Humanitarian situation in Gaza remains "devastating"

BRUSSELS, Nov 20 (KUNA) -- EU Commissioner for Crisis Management, Preparedness and Equality Hadja Lahbib affirmed on Thursday that the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip remains "devastating", stressing the need to ensure full and unimpeded access for humanitarian assistance to civilians in the territory.
This came in a statement she made ahead of the meeting of EU foreign ministers dedicated to discussing developments in the Middle East, held at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels.
The EU commissioner said that "the first global crisis on todayآ’s Foreign Affairs Council agenda is the Middle East", noting that "in Gaza the hostages are home but the humanitarian situation remains devastating." She added that "winter is approaching. Palestinians are cold, wet and hungry." She explained that the European Union "has the needed supplies pre-positioned," yet their entry into Gaza "is moving in tiny steps", emphasizing that "we need full access. INGOs must be allowed to deliver aid".
Lahbib also referred to the UN Security Councilآ’s adoption this week of a resolution on the Gaza peace plan, saying: "We support this plan. But the devil is in the details. It will depend on how it is put into action." Lahbib stressed that humanitarian assistance "must be neutral and impartial in line with international humanitarian law. Never politicised. Never militarised." She further underscored the need not to overlook the situation in the West Bank, pointing out that "settler violence is surging", and that "this violence must stop. International law must be respected". (end) arn.mt