In the presence of Josep Borrell Fontelles, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, MEPs debate on the EU’s response to the continuous killing of civilians in the Gaza Strip. High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy addresses the EU’s response to the repeated killing of humanitarian aid workers, journalists and civilians in Gaza. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

EU - Israel (T)

VAUTMANS, Hilde (Renew, BE)

freedom of press and media (T)

SOLÉ, Jordi (Greens/EFA, ES)

humanitarian aid (T)

LÓPEZ-ISTÚRIZ WHITE, Antonio (EPP, ES)

BORRELL FONTELLES, Josep (PSE, ES, EC)

INCIR, Evin (S&D, SE)

Situation in the Middle East (T)

EU’s response to the repeated killing of humanitarian aid workers, journalists and civilians by the Israel Defence Forces in the Gaza Strip: extracts from the debate

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/75966313/1713510878057_I256159Chapters%5BSD-EN%5D.srt

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, More than six months after the Hamas terrorist attack, we continue condemning in the strongest possible terms the war started in Gaza. This is a watershed moment for the Middle East. We had yesterday the meeting with the Gulf countries, and this was very high in our agenda. The recent Iranian strike in Israel was also a clear escalatory attack, but we must not forget at the same time the gravity of human suffering in Gaza.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, The figures are there. More than 34,000 people killed, mostly civilian. Women, children. Twice this number wounded. 75% of the population displaced at the brink of famine. We know that dozens of children have been already starved to death. The cities in Gaza have been more destroyed in the German cities during the Second World War. Just imagine the comparison.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, At least 249 aid workers have been killed. I'm talking about aid workers. According to the United Nations, since the 7th of October, among them 181 United Nations staff. And I think that we have to pay tribute to all aid agencies, including UNWRA, which alone has lost 178 employees.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, We are also appalled by the number of journalists and media workers, which has been killed by the strike in Gaza. About 100 journalists and media workers in less than six months.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, And we are also concerned about the newly adopted legislation giving temporary power to the Israeli government to prevent foreign media networks from operating in Israel. This, coupled with the lack of access to foreign media to Gaza raises further concern about what do we know about what's going there.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Ground operation in Rafah must be avoided. There are more than 1.3 million people on the streets of Rafah without no more shelter that that piece of plastic over their heads. Humanitarian consequences would be catastrophic.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, I believe, we believe at the European Union, on the two state solution. And if there is someone who doesn't believe on that solution, then he has to tell us, which is the alternative.

SOUNDBITE (English), Antonio LÓPEZ-ISTÚRIZ WHITE (ES, EPP), I think that we should focus on what we can do to reduce sufferance in the Middle East. And this will not happen only by accusing Israel of being a genocidal country who is deliberately killing aid workers. It is not true.

SOUNDBITE (Swedish), Evin INCIR (S&D, SE), The European Parliament will not show humanitarian assistance to those in Gaza. We need to see an immediate ceasefire. There is no time for business as usual. We need to freeze the EU Israel Association agreement. We need to provide support to those who are starving in Gaza.

SOUNDBITE (Dutch), Hilde VAUTMANS (Renew, BE), Mr. Borrell, it's not just the European Parliament, but the Security Council and the International Court of Justice that are calling for immediate ceasefire and the release of all hostages by Hamas. This is the only way to prevent more suffering. I hope, Mr. Burrell, that on behalf of the European Union, you are going to ensure that Israel understands that if it does not listen to these these calls, this will make the relationship much worse.

SOUNDBITE (English), Jordi SOLÉ (Greens/EFA, ES), International justice will have to rule on the possible war crimes committed by all the parties, and perpetrators will have to be held to account. The only way to truly weaken Hamas and ensure Israel's long term security is by granting the two peoples, Israelis and Palestinians, the right to have their country.