Israel hindering humanitarian support to Gaza with border controls: EU's Borrell

By Melike Pala

EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said Friday that there is evidence Israel is preventing humanitarian aid from entering Gaza.

The top diplomat previously said, "Israel uses starvation as war arm in Gaza."

Borrell underlined that Israeli control of the border is the reason for the ongoing humanitarian aid crisis.

"If there is starvation. Why is there starvation? Because there is no humanitarian support entering to support those people? And why is it? Because Israel is controlling the border and not letting humanitarian support to come in," he told PBS television in the US.

"Do you think there is starvation in Gaza? Yes, it is a starvation in Gaza. Hundreds of thousands of people are starving literally, among them many children who have been dying," he added when asked about his comments about Israel using starvation as a weapon.

"You're preventing humanitarian aid from coming and people are starving, isn't it a logical cause and effect there?" Borrell asked rhetorically.

Commenting on the change in opinions of the US and world public opinion regarding Israel's attacks on Gaza, Borrell said, "More and more people are feeling concerned with what I can certainly call a massacre," he said.

Borrell reiterated that the EU is in favor of a two-state solution to solve the problem between Israel and Palestine.

- Situation in Ukraine

Borrell said during his visit to the US he held talks on a support package to Ukraine that is to be voted on in the House of Representatives as soon as possible and touched on the possibility that Russia’s advancement toward the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, which would ultimately lead to the creation of an authoritarian government.

He underlined that in military terms, the EU cannot provide as much aid to Ukraine as the US, and if Washington ceases its support, no country or organization can replace it.

Responding to allegations in the media that the EU is working independently of NATO to ensure its security, Borrell said there is "no alternative" to NATO to secure Europe against the "regional threat posed by Russia."

He noted that the EU's strengthening of its security strategy is not related to the possibility that former US President Donald Trump could win the 2024 elections.

"If Trump is reelected, we will think about Trump. For the time being, we think about Biden," he said.