How to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza? The Twenty-Seven, meeting in the European Council, reiterated, Friday October 27, their concern about “the deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Gaza. » They asked, without specifying to whom, that “humanitarian access is continuous, rapid, safe and unhindered and that aid reaches those in need through all necessary measures, including humanitarian corridors and truces to meet humanitarian needs.”
To achieve this, the European Union will work “working closely with partners in the region to protect civilians, provide assistance and facilitate access to food, water, medical care, fuel and shelter, ensuring that this assistance not be misused by terrorist organizations”it is written in the conclusions of the summit.
But, concretely, the Europeans have not specified how to provide this aid to the Palestinians, as long as the Gaza Strip is under land and sea blockade from Israel and the only door to the outside world, at Rafah on the Egyptian border, opens very occasionally. Emmanuel Macron put forward the idea of going by sea. During his press conference, the French president mentioned a project of “maritime humanitarian corridor” what must be put in place “humanitarian coalition with several European countries, in particular Cyprus, which will serve as a rear base”. Greece is ready, according to him, to “send equipment”.
” This is just the beginning “
While the Thundera helicopter carrier of the national navy, should arrive by the end of the weekend not far from Cyprus, in the eastern Mediterranean, the idea of this maritime humanitarian corridor is to“transport patients” or “make a connection to transport healthcare, food and basic necessities more quickly”detailed Mr. Macron, ensuring that “contacts” had been taken with the Israeli authorities. The latter, however, had not yet officially reacted on Friday evening to this initiative also mentioned by the Cypriot president. “We are at the beginning of the processjudges a European diplomat in Brussels. We are exploring many avenues, but this is only the beginning. »
Earlier this week, while traveling in Israel, Emmanuel Macron raised the idea of an international coalition to fight terrorism, and therefore Hamas. The President of the Republic indicated on Friday that this coalition must allow “to tell Israel that it is not alone in the fight against Hamas terrorism”, “that terrorist groups cannot be isolated from each other to have effective action” And “that the right action against terrorist groups is not a massive operation endangering civilians, but rather targeted operations which are based on the sharing of information and operational cooperation between the best armies”.