EU admits divided views, WHO says people are living in "hell"

The conflict in the Gaza Strip remains complicated as it enters its 100th day of fighting, while organizations and countries continuously call for a ceasefire.

Xung đột ở Dải Gaza: EU thừa nhận quan điểm chia rẽ, WHO nói người dân đang sống như trong 'địa ngục'

Children at a makeshift camp in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, December 8, 2023. (Source: THX)

Sputniknews reported that on January 14, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union (EU) Josep Borrell announced that he had invited the foreign ministers of Arab countries and Israel, along with the head of the Arab League (AL), to Brussels (Belgium) to participate in discussions on the Gaza Strip.

The meeting will take place on the sidelines of the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting, scheduled for January 22.

The European External Action Service website posted a statement by Mr. Borrell stating that EU officials hope that, through the exchange of views between European ministers and their counterparts from countries in the region, it will contribute to efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East.

At the same time, Mr. Borrell acknowledged the lack of unified views within the EU regarding the conflict in Gaza.

On the same day, during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Cairo, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip to protect Palestinian civilians and prevent instability in the region.

"Egypt and China stressed their positions on the need to comply with international law, and reiterated their strong and unequivocal opposition to the forced displacement of Palestinians from their lands," the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.

The two sides also highlighted the need to address the root causes of the Palestinian issue through a just and comprehensive solution, as well as the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on the two-state solution.

Both Egypt and China support Palestine's full membership in the United Nations (UN), and call on the international community to fulfill its responsibilities and increase the provision of humanitarian aid to Gaza, in accordance with relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly.

Also on January 14, the UN announced that the organization has made every effort to meet the urgent needs of hundreds of thousands of civilians evacuated "through a door" at the Rafah border crossing, in the context of the spiral of conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement reaching the 100-day mark.

The newly appointed UN Resident Coordinator for Palestine, Jamie McGoldrick, warned of overcrowding at the Rafah border crossing, Gaza's only remaining connection to the outside world, as well as a severe shortage of essential services and poor living conditions due to the rapid escalation of fighting.

With an estimated 1.8 million people flocking to Rafah, UN officials say a return to peace is the only way out of the current crisis.

Meanwhile, Haberler cited information from the World Health Organization (WHO) message on the occasion of 100 days of the Israel-Hamas war, stating that more than 24,000 people in Gaza were killed, of which 70% were women and children.

According to WHO, there have been more than 300 attacks on health facilities in the strip, forcing most hospitals to shut down and leaving only 15 facilities providing limited health services.

Stating that the people of Gaza are living in hellish conditions, with no safe place, danger and fear that is “indescribable”, WHO once again called on all parties to end all hostilities, avoid bloodshed, release hostages and immediately cease fire.

Source