Von der Leyen sees “the famine” that Gaza faces as unacceptable and demands a “ceasefire” |

The humanitarian catastrophe that is being experienced in Gaza has been very present in the launch of the strategic cooperation agreement that the EU and Egypt staged this Sunday in Cairo. “Gaza is facing famine and we cannot accept it. It is essential to quickly reach a ceasefire agreement that releases the hostages and allows more humanitarian aid to arrive,” proclaimed the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, one of the voices of the Union closest to Israel. since this new chapter of the conflict in the Middle East exploded. At her side was the president of Egypt, Abdel Fattá al Sisi, one of the main actors in the negotiation of this possible ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, who has asked her and the five leaders of EU member countries who accompanied her ―Italy, Cyprus, Austria, Greece and Belgium―, “more efforts to achieve an unconditional ceasefire in addition to increasing humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip” and that Israel does not attack the city of Rafah due to the “risks it would have on the vulnerable civilian population.”

The number, half a dozen, and the rank of Von der Leyen’s companions demonstrates the importance that the EU gives to collaboration with Egypt to contain irregular migration. Because this was the main task of this Sunday’s trip: signing an agreement by which the Union undertakes to mobilize 7.4 billion euros between credits, subsidies and financial guarantees so that this regional power in the southern eastern Mediterranean can collaborate in the control of the migration. But even then it has not been possible to leave aside the humanitarian drama that exists on the other side of the Egyptian border. And he has been present in almost all the speeches of European leaders to journalists.

“We have talked intensely about Gaza,” stressed Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo, who described the situation as “horrendous.” After him, it was his Greek counterpart, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who was “gravely concerned, especially about the possible land invasion of Rafah.” The same as the president of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, and somewhat more timidly the prime minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni. Only the Austrian Chancellor, Karl Nehammer, has avoided talking about the ceasefire in speeches to the press. He has focused on the need to combat terrorism.

The one who has also pointed out the situation in Gaza has been the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz. At a press conference in Jerusalem with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he proclaimed: “We cannot stand by while Palestinians risk dying of hunger.” “Persecuting Hamas is a legitimate goal of Israel. But no matter how important the end goal is, the means and the death of civilians cannot be justified,” he added.

Everyone present in Cairo agreed to underline the importance of the association agreement that was signed this Sunday. In it, the EU undertakes to help Egypt with 7.4 billion euros, of which 5 billion will be for credits; 1,800, for investments and 600 million will go to subsidies. Of this last item, 200 million will be dedicated to border control. Because, mainly, this is the great objective of this agreement: for Egypt, a country on the southern shore of the Mediterranean, to get involved in the fight against irregular migration, following the same scheme as the pacts reached with Tunisia and Mauritania.

“The presence of six European leaders today [por este domingo] It shows how much we value our relationship. “We share a strategic interest in stability,” Von der Leyen highlighted. The president of the European Commission has described as a “historic milestone” an agreement that will help Egypt “to fully dedicate itself to controlling illegal immigration and border management.” The rest of the European leaders present have also stressed the importance of the pact.

“We have confirmed our commitment to the fight against this phenomenon [por la migración irregular]”, has highlighted Al Sisi.

For NGOs, this agreement is doomed to failure. “This is, once again, another episode in which the EU has abandoned its values ​​regarding human rights, as we have seen in Tunisia, Libya and before, in Turkey,” said the foreign policy advisor for the region. of the Middle East and North Africa of Amnesty , Hussein Baoumi in statements collected by the EFE agency.

Follow all the international information on Facebook y Xor our weekly newsletter.

to continue reading

_