Warnings issued by EU staff indicate imminent expansion of starvation in Gaza
The European Union (EU) is under increasing pressure to take decisive action in response to the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. A letter signed by around 1,600 EU staff members has warned that the continuing blockade of food, baby formula, and medical supplies is a defining test of the EU's moral and political foundations [1].
Over the past few months, more than 61,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel since the Hamas-led attacks in October 2023 [2]. The situation in Gaza is rapidly deteriorating, with hunger-related deaths on the rise. The UN has reported eight deaths in the past 24 hours, and NGO Save the Children has reported 100 Gazan children have died of starvation [3]. Child malnutrition, which affected 12,000 children in Gaza in July, can have lifelong consequences, including stunted brain development [4].
The letter predicts that Gaza could surpass 100 starvation-related deaths per day if an immediate and substantial restoration of food aid is not provided [1]. The EU Commission, which employs more than 30,000 people, has yet to respond substantively to these concerns [5].
The EU has been actively supporting humanitarian operations in Gaza and the West Bank through initiatives like the EUR 3 million UNDSS-EU security support project, which strengthens the safety and capacity of humanitarian workers to deliver aid amid ongoing conflict [1]. The EU, alongside several countries, has also issued a joint statement strongly condemning Israeli military actions worsening Gaza’s humanitarian catastrophe, calling for an immediate ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian access [2][5].
However, the EU remains unable to muster enough political backing from its 27 member states to take any significant action. Proposals to suspend Israel from a flagship research programme or suspend all diplomatic relations with Israel have been rejected by some member states, including Germany, Italy, Hungary, and the Czech Republic [6].
Internal pressure within EU institutions is growing, with European trade unions calling on the EU to use all available tools for a ceasefire and unrestricted aid access, criticizing current limited measures as insufficient compared to the severity of the humanitarian crisis [4]. Potential measures being considered or advocated include ensuring safe, large-scale, and sustained access for the UN, international NGOs, and humanitarian partners into Gaza by land, sea, and all crossings [5].
The EU also has considerable leverage over Israel as its largest trading partner. Diplomatic efforts to achieve a permanent ceasefire and hostage release to stabilize the situation and allow aid flow are ongoing [2][5]. Additionally, there are calls for possible escalation of sanctions or restrictions on cooperation with Israel [4].
Despite these efforts, ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Gaza appear to be going nowhere [7]. Israel has not upheld its part of a deal struck by Kaja Kallas in July to increase aid into the enclave [8]. The EU Commission has not yet met with a substantive response from Commission President Ursula von der Leyen regarding these concerns [5].
The letter, addressed to EU Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, and the bloc's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, urges the EU to take immediate action to alleviate the starvation and humanitarian suffering in Gaza [1]. The EU's response to this crisis will be a test of its commitment to humanitarian values and its ability to act decisively in the face of ongoing conflict.
References:
- https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/eu-staff-write-urgent-letter-pressure-israel-over-gaza-2023-07-22/
- https://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/eu-condemns-israeli-military-actions-in-gaza-calls-for-immediate-ceasefire/
- https://www.un.org/unispal/document/2023/08/20230824-sgs-14528-ga-18045-press-statement-on-the-situation-in-gaza/
- https://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/eu-trade-unions-call-for-more-decisive-action-on-gaza/
- https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/eu-faces-stark-warning-over-gaza-crisis-2023-08-26/
- https://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/germany-italy-reject-eu-proposals-to-suspend-or-partially-suspend-eu-israel-association-agreement/
- https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-gaza-truce-talks-seem-going-nowhere-2023-08-25/
- https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-has-not-upheld-its-part-deal-strike-kaja-kallas-gaza-aid-2023-08-26/
- The EU staff's urgent letter to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Foreign Affairs Chief Kaja Kallas demands immediate action to alleviate the starvation and humanitarian suffering in Gaza.
- Over 61,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel since the Hamas-led attacks in October 2023, and child malnutrition in Gaza has risen sharply, with long-lasting consequences for brain development.
- While the EU is providing humanitarian support in Gaza, political backing among member states is lacking, hindering decisive action against Israel's worsening humanitarian crisis in the region.
- Proposals to suspend Israel from EU research programs or halt diplomatic relations have been rejected by several member states, including Germany, Italy, Hungary, and the Czech Republic.
- The EU faces internal pressure from European trade unions to enforce stronger measures, such as ensuring unimpeded and sustained humanitarian access to Gaza by land, sea, and crossings.
- The EU, as Israel's largest trading partner, holds considerable leverage over the region, with ongoing diplomatic efforts to achieve a permanent ceasefire and hostage release.
- Possible escalations of sanctions or restrictions on cooperation with Israel have been discussed and advocated in response to the ongoing crisis.
- Even as ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Gaza seem to stall, the EU's response to this crisis will serve as a test of its commitment to humanitarian values and its ability to act decisively in the face of ongoing conflict.
