The European Green Party (EGP) has today condemned the Israeli Defence Force’s (IDF) bombing of Rafah in the Gaza Strip. The latest Israeli attacks on Rafah, and the enormous forced displacement of Gazan civilians which accompanies it, are in violation of international law. The party also condemned the recent Hamas rocket attack near Kerem Shalom, one of the main crossings used to deliver aid into Gaza.
The European Greens have again called for the Netanyahu government to cease their continuous escalation of violence which has caused the death of over 34 000 Palestinians and wounded almost 80.000 people. People in Rafah are scared. This attack on their homes, their tents, their humanity is horrifying. They urgently need international support and we call on the Israel Government to allow unhindered access to humanitarian aid.
The Israeli government has continuously ignored pressure and warnings from the international community against a ground invasion of Rafah, as well as protests from people in Israel. They have included a number of people whose family members are being held as hostages by Hamas, who have demanded the Israeli government to accept a deal which would lead to a ceasefire.
These attacks on Rafah are illegal and unjustifiable. In the face of the Netanyahu government’s disdain for international law, the EU and its governments must increase the pressure, including through the EU-Israel Association agreement, in order to work towards a permanent ceasefire, the liberation of all hostages and a two-state solution.
During the Maastricht debate, Bas Eickhout, lead candidate for the European Greens called on President Von der Leyen to clarify her position on support for Israel in case of further attacks on Rafah. The European Greens call on Commission President Von der Leyen and the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union to urgently convene a meeting of the European Council to discuss measures to end the bloodshed.
It is vital that the media can have unimpeded access to the Gaza Strip in order to allow international oversight over what is happening. In recent months, over 100 Palestinian journalists have been killed, and the Israeli government has hindered the work of both Palestinian and international media. Most recently Israeli authorities have shut down the Al-Jazeera’s operations in the country, including their office in the Gaza Strip. Israel has barred foreign journalists from entering Gaza since the Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023.
