Keystone-SDA
Switzerland, the European Union and 23 other countries denounced Tuesday a situation of “famine” in Gaza. They called to act in a “urgent” manner to end it, while Egypt has announced working with the mediators for a truce in Gaza.
(Keystone-ATS) “Humanitarian distress in Gaza has reached an unimaginable level. A famine takes place before our eyes, ”wrote the EU and 24 countries in a joint press release. These states urged Israel to “authorize all humanitarian aid for international NGOs and to remove the obstacles that prevent humanitarian workers from intervening”.
“Switzerland has joined other states in a declaration expressing its deep concern in the face of new registration restrictions imposed on NGOs, which could force essential humanitarian actors to leave the occupied Palestinian territories, thus aggravating the crisis in Gaza”, writes the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAE) on X.
“Sure access” for help
The declaration calls for “safe and large-scale access to humanitarian aid, the protection of civilians and humanitarian workers, a sustainable cease-fire and the release of all hostages,” he adds.
The statement is signed by EU Kaja Kallas diplomacy and foreign ministers in countries like the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada and Australia. There are in particular 17 EU member states, including France, but not Germany.
The UN has been warning for weeks against a risk of “generalized famine” in this area. For its part, an organization dependent on the Israeli Ministry of Defense, the COGAT, published a new report on Tuesday claiming that “there is no sign of generalized malnutrition phenomenon” in the Palestinian territory.
Search for a truce
In this context, Egypt announced Tuesday to work “actively” with Qatar and the United States for a 60-day cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.
“The main objective is to return to the initial proposal: to establish a 60-day ceasefire, with the release of certain Palestinian hostages and detainees, as well as the without conditions and without restrictions on humanitarian and medical aid to Gaza,” said Egyptian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Badr Abdelatty.
Hamas confirms
Hamas confirmed in a statement released on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday that a delegation led by its chief negotiator, Khalil al-Hayya, had arrived in Cairo with a view to discussions with Egypt to “end the war in Gaza” and “facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid” in particular.
According to a Palestinian source, “the mediators are in the process of formulating a new proposal for a global cease-fire agreement”, providing for the release, “in one go”, of all the hostages still retained in Gaza.
The hostages were not mentioned in the Hamas press release
“The floor is shaking”
In Gaza, the civil defense announced the death of 33 Palestinians on Tuesday across the territory, while Israel had approved a plan on Friday to take control of the city of Gaza and neighboring refugee camps.
“For the third consecutive day, the Israeli occupation intensifies its bombings” in the city of Gaza, located in the north of the territory, the spokesman for civil defense, Mahmoud Bassal, told AFP.
The districts of Zeitoun and Sabra were affected “by very intense air strikes targeting civil dwellings,” he said. “The occupation uses all types of weapons in this area-bombs, drones, as well as explosive ammunition causing massive destruction of civil dwellings,” he said.
“The bombing has been extremely intense for two days. Each shot, the ground trembles. There are martyrs under the rubble that no one can reach because the shots has not stopped, “testified Majed al-Hossary, a resident of Zeitoun.
Possible emigration
Under very high pressure to end 22 months of war against Hamas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel “would authorize” the inhabitants of Gaza who want to leave the territory, subject to a very strict seat since the start of the conflict.
“We do not push them outside, but we allow them to leave, and that is what is happening,” said Netanyahu, in an interview with the international television channel i24 News, at a time when the Israeli army is preparing to launch a new phase of its offensive in order to defeat Hamas.
