The European Union (EU) has confirmed the “grave humanitarian situation” in the Gaza Strip , where barely a hundred trucks enter each day to deliver humanitarian aid, food and medicine. This insufficiency persists despite the agreement reached with Israel two weeks ago to substantially improve access to essential supplies, according to diplomatic sources informed Europa Press.
During the initial assessment of the pact with Israel, the European Commission and the EU External Action Service informed Member States that just over 1,000 trucks have managed to enter the Gaza Strip since the agreement was signed. The daily average is thus below 100 trucks, a figure insufficient for the current needs of the Gazan population.
Reports from international agencies collected by Europa Press indicate a notable increase in the number of vehicles gaining access to Gaza. However, the lack of entry points and insecurity hinder both the arrival and distribution of humanitarian aid and food, according to European sources. Until now, the EU estimated a daily entry of 80 trucks, but acknowledges its dependence on reports provided by third parties, as it does not have its own personnel on the ground.
In the recent ambassadorial debate, EU member states expressed their"deep concern" over the deteriorating humanitarian crisis, which continues to worsen despite the agreement with Israel. During the meeting, they stressed that, given the"insufficient" progress in humanitarian access, rapid and effective improvements are urgently needed to address the growing needs of the Palestinian population.
Faced with the stalemate over improving access to Gaza, EU High Representative Kaja Kallas warned Israel of possible retaliation if it fails to comply with its commitments. Several Member States have asked the European Commission to provide concrete follow-up on the measures envisaged in the options paper, presented last June by Kallas, which outlines various sanctions against Israel.
Discussions within the EU have been marked by sharp divisions. Countries such as Spain and Ireland advocate retaliation against Israeli authorities, while nations such as Germany and Hungary insist on giving Israel more time to implement the agreement. The issue will be reviewed again by EU ambassadors next week.
On Tuesday, the European Union called the deaths of civilians in Gaza waiting to receive humanitarian aid"indefensible." In new diplomatic contacts with Israel, the bloc reiterated the possibility of retaliation if the Israeli authorities fail to respect the framework of commitments to facilitate access of supplies to the Strip.
The EU-Israeli agreement included measures to ensure the"large-scale" delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, following efforts by the European Union's top diplomat to Benjamin Netanyahu's government. The EU indicated that it would launch actions"in the coming days" under the premise of distributing massive aid and taking parallel measures to prevent Hamas from intercepting the supplies. So far, the EU has not made public the planned aid amounts or the deadlines agreed with Israel. The informal meeting of foreign ministers at the end of August has been pointed to as a key moment to assess progress in the crisis.
