“The European Union deplores the breakdown of the ceasefire in Gaza. The EU’s priorities remain the resumption of the ceasefire, the release of all hostages and the restoration of humanitarian aid at scale into Gaza,” a statement said.
“The EU firmly condemns the killing of 15 humanitarian aid workers in Gaza on March 23 and calls for accountability. Too many Israelis and Palestinians have suffered and the death toll of civilians in Gaza is unacceptable.
“The EU is extremely concerned by reports of the humanitarian situation in Gaza, which suggest that food supplies brought in during the ceasefire are running out. Under International Humanitarian Law, humanitarian aid must reach civilians in need.
The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has warned of a deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza where food and drinking water are increasingly scarce for thousands of families, Al Jazeera reports.
“Food and clean water are in short supply in the Gaza Strip due to the blockade and the denial of aid for nearly six weeks,” UNRWA said.
It emphasised the need for urgent humanitarian assistance is essential to address the burgeoning needs of the population.
Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa has thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for supporting the Palestinian cause during Israel’s military operations, Al Jazeera reports.
Mustafa expressed appreciation for Turkiye’s efforts to end attacks on Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
During their meeting, the prime minister emphasised the need for increased international pressure to stop Israel from creating famine in Gaza because of its total blockade of desperately needed humanitarian aid.
Mustafa also briefed Erdogan on the deteriorating situation in the occupied West Bank during weeks-long Israeli military raids and settler attacks.
Erdogan reiterated Turkiye’s unwavering support for Palestine and readiness to contribute to Gaza’s reconstruction once Israel’s campaign ends.
Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh reports that “one-quarter of a million Palestinians who called Rafah home can no longer have access to it.”
She continues: “Strategically speaking, this also means the two main crossings connecting the Gaza Strip to the world — the Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing for commercial goods and humanitarian assistance and the Rafah border with Egypt, which allows people to leave or enter the enclave — are now off limits.”
Odeh reports that those crossings are beyond Palestinians’ reach and tighten the Israeli siege even more. “It also means Palestinians, 2.1 million of them, are now squeezed into about one-third of Gaza.”
She added that the UN estimates about 66 per cent of Gaza is already off-limits to Palestinians and Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has publicly stated the goal — since breaking the ceasefire with Hamas — is to apply pressure on the civilian population.
“He basically gave the population an ultimatum: topple Hamas and deliver the Israeli captives. Katz said that’s the only way to end the war,” Odeh reports.
At least 11 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza since the early hours, medical sources told Al Jazeera.
The areas in which the attacks took place include the al-Mawasi humanitarian zone in southern Gaza and Jabalia in the north.‘Unbearable’: Gaza conditions dire as food, water supplies expire
