EU-Gulf call for Gaza cease-fire requires ‘practical steps’: Hamas

By Anadolu staff

ISTANBUL (AA) - Palestinian group Hamas said Thursday that a call by the EU-Gulf summit for a Gaza cease-fire and opening border crossings requires “practical steps” to oblige Israel to halt its genocidal war on the Palestinian enclave.

Following their first summit in Brussels, the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council on Wednesday called in a joint statement for full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2735, “including an immediate, full, and complete cease-fire, the release of hostages, the exchange of the Palestinian prisoners as well as immediate and unimpeded humanitarian access to civilian population.”

On June 10, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2735, which backed a three-phase plan, laid out by US President Joe Biden for a Gaza cease-fire.

"The summit's call to open all Gaza crossings and allow aid in requires practical steps from the participating countries to compel Israel to comply with the international will calling for stopping the genocide in Gaza and implementing UN Security Council Resolution 2735 calling for a cease-fire,” Hamas said in a statement.

It urged countries taking part in the summit “to take practical steps to stop Israel’s violation of international and humanitarian law.”

Hamas said it welcomed UN Resolution 2735 and Biden’s cease-fire proposal.

“But (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu continues to obstruct implementation of the resolution and continues his aggression and crimes against Gaza, Lebanon and other neighboring countries.”

Flouting Resolution 2735, Israel has continued a brutal offensive on Gaza following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas last October.

Over 42,400 people have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 99,000 injured, according to local health authorities.

The Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of the Gaza Strip amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine.

Mediation efforts led by the US, Egypt, and Qatar to reach a Gaza cease-fire and prisoner swap agreement between Israel and Hamas have failed over Netanyahu’s refusal to halt the war.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar