Albares condemns Israel’s “indiscriminate bombing” of “civilians, UN personnel, and hospitals”

Eduardo González/Ane Barcos Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares condemned this Monday the "indiscriminate bombing" of civilians, UN personnel, and hospitals by Israel and warned that the death toll in the Gaza Strip since the truce was broken "is unbearable." "I condemn the indiscriminate bombing of civilians and UN personnel, including hospitals. The death toll is unbearable," Albares wrote on social media. "International humanitarian law must be respected. "The Middle East needs peace and respect for the most basic humanity," he added. For her part, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, warned this Monday in Jerusalem of the urgency of restoring the ceasefire and stated that "resuming negotiations is the only viable way to end the suffering on all sides," because violence only breeds more violence and the current situation is leading to a dangerous escalation in the region. "What we are witnessing now is a dangerous escalation. "It is causing unbearable uncertainty for the hostages and their families and, at the same time, it is causing horror and death for the Palestinian people," the head of European diplomacy stated at a press conference with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar. Kallas emphasized the need to free the hostages and allow the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza as fundamental steps toward a permanent ceasefire. "The European Union can help, either by reestablishing our mission at the Rafah crossing or by providing more humanitarian assistance," she stated. She also highlighted the EU's support for the Arab plan for the reconstruction of Gaza, although she acknowledged that there are still outstanding issues regarding costs and future governance. In this regard, she made it clear that "we do not see any role for Hamas in the future government of Gaza" and that it is crucial to discuss how the enclave will be administered going forward. "We definitely need to discuss how the governance of Gaza is envisioned, what its future will look like, and the European Union stands ready to participate in those discussions to prevent these problems from recurring in the future," she stated. In this regard, she noted that Syria's internal diversity is a model to consider for the future governance of Gaza. "Syria is a very diverse country with different groups. Therefore, these must be included in the government to administer Gaza," she explained. Regarding Israel's security, Kallas reiterated that it is a priority for the European Union and reaffirmed its right to self-defense against threats such as Hamas, the Houthis, and Hezbollah, although he insisted that military actions must be proportionate. She also expressed concern about Israeli attacks in Syria and Lebanon, warning that these could further escalate the conflict. "Yes, of course, we discussed this, Israel's actions, and we feel that these things are unnecessary because Syria, at this moment, is not attacking Israel," she stated. These attacks, she warned, only generate further radicalization, which also represents a danger for Israel. "We don't want to see that because, as I said, Israel's security is also very important to us," she added.

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