EU leaders call for 'immediate humanitarian pause' in Gaza
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European Council President Charles Michel stated that immediate access of humanitarian aid into Gaza is crucial to provide life-saving assistance to Palestinians.
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Palestinians flee an Israeli military raid on Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank on November 29, 2023 (AP)
EU leaders have called for an "immediate" humanitarian pause in the Gaza Strip, which will lead to a long-term truce, European Council President Charles Michel said on Thursday, amid an ongoing session in Brussels.
Michel expressed on X that "Full & safe humanitarian access into Gaza is essential to provide the civilian population with life-saving assistance in a catastrophic situation in Gaza."
Strong and unified statement of EU leaders on the Middle East at #EUCO tonight!
— Charles Michel (@CharlesMichel) March 21, 2024
The EU calls for an immediate humanitarian pause leading to a sustainable ceasefire.
Full & safe humanitarian access into Gaza is essential to provide the civilian population with life-saving…
The document released following the EU summit on Thursday revealed that the unions' leaders had asked "Israel" to refrain from conducting a ground attack in the city of Rafah and had called for an immediate humanitarian pause in the Gaza Strip that would result in a durable ceasefire.
"The European Council urges the Israeli government not to undertake a ground operation in Rafah, which would worsen the already catastrophic humanitarian situation and prevent the urgently needed provision of basic services and humanitarian assistance," the document read.
The European Council has also called for an "immediate humanitarian pause leading to a sustainable ceasefire" and the unconditional release of all the captives held by the Resistance in Gaza.
The EU leaders have also called for "full, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access into and throughout the Gaza Strip via all routes," the document said, adding that "over a million Palestinians are currently seeking safety from the fighting and access to humanitarian assistance."
US revised UNSC resolution urges ceasefire, prevention of war spilling
The United States has presented a revised resolution to the United Nations Security Council, as confirmed by Al Mayadeen's correspondent in New York on Thursday.
The resolution pointed fingers at Hamas calling the Resistance movement a "terrorist organization" and claimed it did not represent the people of Palestine and failed to address the demands made by the group during ceasefire negotiations.
The resolution calls for a ceasefire that "should lay the foundation for a sustainable ceasefire," once again "reiterating the vision of the two-state solution, with the Gaza Strip as part of the Palestinian State."
It stresses the urgent need to expand the flow of humanitarian assistance to civilians throughout the Gaza Strip and reiterates the demand for the lifting of all barriers hindering its access. This includes ensuring its sustainable flow through all necessary crossing points, including the Karam Abu Salem Border Crossing, as well as the opening of additional crossings and a maritime corridor.
The resolution emphasizes that hunger in the Strip has reached catastrophic levels and "rejects any forced displacement of the civilian population in Gaza in violation of international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law, as applicable."
Similarly, the revised resolution "rejects actions that reduce the territory of Gaza, including through the establishment officially or unofficially of so-called buffer zones, as well as the widespread, systematic demolition of civilian infrastructure."
War spillover and ceasefire demands
The revised resolution also expresses concern about the repercussions of a possible Israeli ground invasion of Rafah, as it would lead to further harm and displacement of civilians.
In addition, the resolution stresses the importance of preventing the spread of conflict in the region, including along the Blue Line, more commonly known as the Israeli withdrawal line from the southern region of Lebanon.
Significantly, the resolution reaffirmed the US' claims that Hamas is a "terrorist organization" noting that neither it nor "other terrorist and armed extremist groups in Gaza do not stand for the dignity or self-determination of the Palestinian people."
Also worth noting is that while the resolution makes mention of the Israeli captives time and time again, it fails to mention the need to liberate the Palestinian detainees held in Israeli occupation prisons or Palestinians held and tortured in the field in Gaza amid a surge in forced disappearances.
This comes as earlier, Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected an appeal from US President Joe Biden to put off a planned ground invasion on Rafah, where 1.2 million Palestinians currently reside, telling Israeli members of the Knesset that he was "determined" to eliminate the Palestinian Resistance.
On its part, the Palestinian Resistance has reiterated that it demands an immediate and permanent ceasefire that ends the Israeli aggression, provides relief and assistance to the people in Gaza, facilitates the return of the displaced to their homes, and ensures the complete withdrawal of the Israeli occupation forces from the Strip.
In addition to providing the Israeli occupation entity with military support, the United States has vetoed three draft resolutions, two of which would have called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, citing concerns about jeopardizing ongoing efforts to broker a pause in fighting and release Israeli captives.
Washington has also abstained twice on resolutions aimed at aiding Gaza and calling for pauses in the fighting.
