EU Nations Jointly Condemn Hamas for Its Use of ‘Human Shields’ in the Gaza Conflict
European Union calls for restraint and humanitarian access
In a show of unity from the European Union, all 27 individual member-states have come together to condemn Hamas for “the use of hospitals and civilians as human shields” during the ongoing war taking place in Gaza following the October 7 Hamas massacre.
The stark differences in rhetoric emanating from the EU over the last few weeks have illustrated deep fractures amongst its members in terms of foreign policy. However, this recent announcement, shepherded by the EU’s Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy chief Josep Borrell, seems to take the approach of restoring the bloc’s unified voice after the group was “totally split” on a UN vote for a humanitarian truce in late October.
Borrell and the European Union touched upon the humanitarian crisis taking place in Gaza hospitals and reaffirmed that Israel must uphold “maximum restraint in targeting in order to avoid human casualties.”
The supranational organization reiterated that Israel must allow for the continued establishment of humanitarian corridors while, nonetheless, any cease-fire must include “the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages [and] that it is crucial that the International Committee of the Red Cross is granted access to the hostages.”
The German Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock, responded to reporters questioning her government’s refusal to call for a complete cease-fire: “[How] can the demand for a cease-fire, acutely, and now in this terrible situation, guarantee that Israel’s security is assured? What happens with the 240 hostages, and who negotiates it in a situation where negotiations barely seem possible?”
Borrell will be traveling to the Middle East this week to speak with leaders from Israel, the Palestinian territories, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Jordan.
