ISTANBUL
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell condemned on Monday the recent Israeli airstrike on Jabalia, northern Gaza, which resulted in scores of casualties, as calls for international intervention to halt Israel’s genocidal attack on Palestinians intensify.
On Sunday, Israeli airstrikes on Jabalia, Gaza’s largest refugee camp, killed at least 36 Palestinians, including 15 children, while injuring scores more and leaving numerous people missing.
“I strongly condemn the latest Israeli strike in Gaza’s Jabalia, with many civilian casualties,” Borrell said in a statement on X.
He highlighted that term like “ethnic cleansing” are “increasingly used to describe what is going on in North Gaza,” underscoring the gravity of the humanitarian crisis and what he called “the daily reality of forced displacements,” which he categorically stated “violate international law.”
Pointing to the risk of famine in Gaza, Borrell warned that “the use of hunger as a weapon of war is also against international humanitarian law (IHL),” citing a recent UN Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) alert that signals a strong likelihood of famine spreading in North Gaza.
He stressed the need for immediate action, saying, “This manmade catastrophe must be averted.”
Borrell appealed to Israel and its allies to accept responsibility, emphasizing that “urgent measures” are necessary “for an end of the suffering of the Palestinians and for the liberation of the hostages.”
Referring to the IPC report, he noted, “Action by all parties is required within days, not weeks.”
Finally, he reminded Israel of its obligations as an occupying power, stating, “Israel, as occupying power, has the obligation to act by letting aid in.”
