The European Union has reiterated its demand for Israel to unblock humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza, warning that the ongoing blockade is exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis.
At a press conference in Manila, EU High Representative and Vice President Kaja Kallas said: “We have been very firm on this. It is the humanitarian aid that we are giving to Gaza that is also blocked now, and we are in contact with our counterparts in Israel to unblock this and to help the people.”
“The loss of life is untenable. The suffering of the people has to end, and we need to do everything in our power to put the pressure there,” she said, adding that much of the aid currently stuck at the border is funded by the EU itself.
Kallas also reiterated the EU’s call for an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages, and a return to negotiations toward a two-state solution.
While she did not directly address questions on pressuring EU member-states like Germany and Italy to halt arms exports to Israel, Kallas said that the EU had “agreed on many principles,” including pushing for peace and prioritizing humanitarian needs.
The EU remains one of the largest donors of humanitarian aid to Gaza and has been vocal in calling for unobstructed delivery of food, medicine, and other essentials amid the conflict.
Late May, the Philippines called for the “full, safe, rapid, and unhindered delivery” of humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip amid mounting concerns over famine and a worsening humanitarian crisis.
Following Israel’s decision on May 18 to allow limited aid deliveries through the United Nations after over 11 weeks of a total blockade, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the provision of humanitarian aid must remain under the leadership of the United Nations and other internationally mandated actors.
