EU top diplomat tells Israel to stop killing Gazans at aid points

BRUSSELS: EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Tuesday told her Israeli counterpart that Israel’s military “must stop” killing civilians at aid distribution points in Gaza.

Meanwhile a spokesman for the bloc also condemned any attacks against the World Health Organization after the agency said its facilities in Gaza had been targeted by Israeli forces.

Kallas wrote on X that “the killing of civilians seeking aid in Gaza is indefensible”.

“I spoke again with Gideon Saar to recall our understanding on aid flow and made clear that IDF must stop killing people at distribution points,” she wrote.

The European Union early this month said it had struck a deal with Israel to allow more access into Gaza amid Israel’s devastating military operation.

Gaza hospital says 21 children died from malnutrition and starvation in 72 hours

Kallas has laid out a series of actions that EU states could take against Israel unless the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza improves.

“All options remain on the table if Israel doesn’t deliver on its pledges,” Kallas wrote on X.

EU officials have said there have been some improvements for aid access to Gaza, but that a lot more needs to be done.

“Channels are open and pressure is actually being put on the Israeli counterpart, so time is of the essence,” EU spokesman Anouar El Anouni said.

The spokesman also condemned attacks on “any WHO premises or any hospitals” after it said Monday its facilities in Gaza had come under Israeli attack.

“Let’s be clear: premises of WHO must not be attacked and must be protected,” he said.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the Israeli military had entered the UN agency’s staff residence, forced women and children to evacuate on foot, and handcuffed, stripped and interrogated male staff at gunpoint.