Belgium, Luxembourg FMs criticize ongoing aggression on Gaza

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News Website
13 Nov 2023 16:13
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The foreign minister of Belgium describes the situation in Gaza as "intolerable".

Belgium's Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib speaks with the media as she arrives for a meeting of EU foreign ministers at the European Council building in Brussels on Monday, Jan. 23, 2023 (AP)

During the EU summit of foreign ministers, the Luxemborian and Belgian representatives expressed concerns over the brutal Israeli aggression on Gaza.

The foreign minister of Luxembourg criticized the Israeli bombardment of Palestinian hospitals in Gaza.

“These are not battlefields. Patients who are in intensive care [don’t] stand a chance. There is no more oxygen, no more water, no more medicine. So these people are going to die," he said.

“We really must stop this and try to find a solution. You can’t negotiate with Hamas, but you can negotiate with Qatar, for example,” he added.

On her part, the foreign minister of Belgium described the situation in Gaza as "intolerable".

"The level of suffering we are witnessing so far in Gaza is intolerable. I am going to ask that we deploy all possible diplomatic efforts to put an end to it. For Belgium it is essential to obtain a humanitarian ceasefire and respect for international law. With several European countries, we have decided to increase our humanitarian aid. But without the opening of new access points to Gaza, it is obvious that this aid cannot be an intervention," she said.

Het leed in Gaza is ondraaglijk en moet stoppen. In de #RBZ zal ik de vraag van België herhalen voor een onmiddellijk humanitair staakt-het-vuren, respect voor het internationaal recht en de vrijlating van de gijzelaars. Burgers en ziekenhuizen mogen noch als doelwit ... pic.twitter.com/NZe8YBZwYn
— Hadja Lahbib (@hadjalahbib) November 13, 2023

In the same context, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that EU member states have collectively agreed on a common stance in regard to the burgeoning war in Gaza, favoring "immediate pauses" to allow for the opening of humanitarian corridors.

"In this 27 [EU nations] statement we ask for immediate pauses. I am saying that in plural, not a singular one but several [sic] pauses. These immediate pauses and humanitarian corridors are to be established in order to face the dire situation of the people in Gaza," Borrell added.