BRUSSELS: The European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Monday expressing concern over the worsening situation in Gaza said that the destruction in the besieged enclave is greater than that what Germany saw in World War II.
Borrell after chairing a meeting of EU foreign ministers said that Israel’s bombing in Gaza after October 7 has resulted in an unbelievable number of civilian casualties.
He said that the EU is also alarmed by the violence of extremist settlers in the West Bank and strongly condemned the Israel’s decision to approve 1,700 more housing units in Jerusalem, which is an open violation of international law.
Josep Borrell said that Israel’s military operation is disproportionate in terms of civilian deaths and damage to civilian property and infrastructure in Gaza.
According to Gaza’s health ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra, since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas, 18,205 people have been killed, mostly women and children, amid a deepening humanitarian crisis.
The Israeli raids have almost destroyed entire neighborhoods in northern Gaza. Israeli ground troops have been facing heavy resistance from Hamas fighters in the area.
According to the UN some 1.87 million Palestinians, over 80 percent of Gaza’s population, have left their homes.
Human sufferings in Gaza pose unprecedented challenge to global community
Borrell added the human suffering in Gaza constitutes an unprecedented challenge to the global community. He noted the civilian casualties are between 60 and 70 percent of the overall deaths.
He noted that the destruction of buildings in Gaza is more than the destruction suffered by Germany during the Second World War.
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The EU top diplomat said that he had presented a paper to the EU foreign ministers for imposing sanctions against extremist settlers in West Bank who have intensified attacks against Palestinian residents.
Borrell said he would soon make a formal proposal, based on the decision taken by the United States regarding refusal of visas to extremist Israeli settlers.
