UPDATE - Germany’s Baerbock urges Israel to respect international humanitarian law

ADDS MORE QUOTES, DETAILS

By Anadolu staff

BERLIN (AA) - German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Monday called on Israel to respect international humanitarian law, and take steps to better protect Palestinian civilians.

“Like any other country in the world, Israel has the right to defend itself. Like any country in the world, it must do so within the framework of international humanitarian law,” she said during her speech at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

The German top diplomat warned that the humanitarian situation in Gaza has become “catastrophic” in recent weeks, and urged the Israeli government to abide by the recent order of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and allow more humanitarian aid to the region.

“Mothers like us, like me, are running from the fighting, dragging their crying kids behind them, in panic, in despair. Often children wandering the ruins of their homes, barefoot, hungry, alone. I sometimes imagine these were my daughters,” Baerbock said.

“We are working with many friends, non-stop, for a humanitarian pause, leading to a humanitarian cease-fire. Civilians must be protected, more aid must get through to the people of Gaza. That's also what I have told our Israeli partners in my five trips to the region since October,” she added.

Baerbock said she raised the issue again with her counterparts only a few days ago amid the grave humanitarian situation in Rafah, where over 1.4 million Palestinians are currently sheltering.

Despite last month’s ICJ order, Israel is increasingly obstructing the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza, according to Human Rights Watch.

“In fact, Israeli authorities have allowed even fewer trucks into Gaza and fewer aid missions into northern Gaza in recent weeks than in the weeks preceding the World Court order,” the rights group said in a new report on Monday.

The ICJ ordered Israel last month to ensure its forces do not commit acts of genocide in Gaza, and guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to Palestinian civilians.

Israel launched its military offensive on the Gaza Strip following a Hamas attack on Oct. 7. The bombardment has killed nearly 30,000 people and injured over 70,000 with mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

Hamas is believed to be holding more than 130 Israeli hostages following its cross-border attack, which Tel Aviv says killed nearly 1,200 people.