BRUSSELS – The 27 European Union nations have collectively condemned Hamas for what they described as the use of hospitals and civilians as “human shields” within the battle towards Israel.
EU international affairs leader Josep Borrell mentioned Monday that on the identical time the bloc requested Israel “for maximum restraint and targeting in order to avoid human casualties.”
At a gathering of the bloc’s international affairs ministers, Borrell brandished a remark he issued on behalf of the 27 nations as a display of harmony following weeks of regularly contrasting statements on how the crowd must cope with the Israel-Hamas battle.
“You know how difficult it has been the last times, after the vote in the United Nations, where countries were voted in different ways, to present a completely united approach,” Borrell mentioned. Only hours after EU leaders professed harmony over the Israel-Hamas battle on Oct. 28, the member states have been completely break up in a vote on a General Assembly answer calling for humanitarian truces in Gaza resulting in a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hamas.
Now, although, the EU nations mentioned in a remark they sign up for “calls for immediate pauses in hostilities and the establishment of humanitarian corridors, including through increased capacity at border crossings and through a dedicated maritime route, so that humanitarian aid can safely reach the population of Gaza.”
And they reiterated their “call on Hamas for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. It is crucial that the International Committee of the Red Cross is granted access to the hostages.”
And as a key tenent, it mentioned that “the EU condemns the use of hospitals and civilians as human shields by Hamas.”
Latvian Foreign Minister Krisjanis Karins mentioned that “Hamas is unfortunately using civilian infrastructure and civilians as shields against the Israeli Defense Forces. So the situation absolutely not black and white.”
He added that “no one in the West is interested in supporting any terrorist organization.”
The nations stopped brief of calling for a cease-fire.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock mentioned she understood “the impetus for a cease-fire.” But she mentioned those that search one will have to solution questions “for example, how can the demand for a cease-fire, acutely, and now in this terrible situation guarantee that Israel’s security is assured? What happens with the 200 hostages, and who negotiates it in a situation where negotiations barely seem possible?”
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Associated Press author Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this record.