Hamas uses residents of the Gaza Strip as a “shield”, denounces German Foreign Minister
The head of German diplomacy, Annalena Baerbock, visiting Israel on Friday, denounced Hamas which, according to her, uses the population of the Gaza Strip, bombed by Israel, as ” shield “.
“In its perfidious calculation, Hamas is now hiding behind other innocent people and using them as shields in Gaza. Hamas has taken the entire population of Gaza hostage »lamented Ms. Baerbock to the press, after a meeting with her Israeli counterpart, Eli Cohen.
“Their tunnels, weapons depots and command centers are deliberately located in apartment buildings, supermarkets and universities. And maybe even hospitals”she added.
She highlighted “the immense challenge” faced by Israel in its war against Hamas because “as democracies (…) we take seriously the humanitarian precept, the basic protection of the civilian population”. “This is what distinguishes us, the democracies, from the terrorists”added the German Foreign Minister, stressing that Israel “has the right, and even the duty, to oppose this brutal and barbaric terror, within the framework of international law”.
A position from Berlin similar to what French President Emmanuel Macron affirmed Thursday evening, during his address to the French. “Israel has the right to defend itself by eliminating terrorist groups, including Hamas, through targeted actions but by preserving civilian populations, because that is the duty of democracies”did he declare.
“Civilians need safe spaces where they can find protection and be supplied with basic necessities”Ms. Baerbock also said on Friday, ensuring that Germany was discussing it with the Israeli authorities, as well as with Egypt and the United Nations.
She went to southern Israel, to the town of Netivot, near the border with the Gaza Strip, denouncing “unimaginable atrocities” committed by Hamas and calling on the Islamist movement to ” released[r]these innocent people.”
In the evening, Ms. Baerbock will travel to Cairo for “crisis discussions”particularly regarding “hostages kidnapped by Hamas”, said an anonymous source close to the German ministry on Friday, according to Agence France-Presse. THE “Egypt’s humanitarian efforts for the civilian population of Gaza will also be discussed”and the “regional situation” will also be discussed.