Newborns are positioned in mattress after being taken off incubators in Gaza’s Al-Shifa hospital after energy outage, amid the continuing battle between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Gaza City, Gaza on November 12, 2023.
| Photo Credit: Reuters
The EU on November 12 condemned Hamas for utilizing “hospitals and civilians as human shields” in Gaza, whereas additionally urging Israel to indicate “maximum restraint” to guard civilians from the struggle it’s waging.
“The EU is gravely concerned about the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza,” EU overseas coverage chief Josep Borrell mentioned in an announcement.
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The attraction went out as Gaza’s largest medical facility, Al-Shifa hospital, was being focused for repeated strikes. Hamas well being officers mentioned considered one of them destroyed its cardiac ward on November 12.
Another facility, Al-Quds hospital, was knocked out of service due to an absence of generator gas, the Palestinian Red Crescent mentioned.
Israel denies intentionally concentrating on hospitals. It accuses Hamas of utilizing the amenities, or tunnels underneath them, as hideouts, which the Islamist militant group denies.
“These hostilities are severely impacting hospitals and taking a horrific toll on civilians and medical staff,” the EU assertion mentioned.
“The EU emphasises that international humanitarian law stipulates that hospitals, medical supplies and civilians inside hospitals must be protected.
“Hospitals must also be supplied immediately with the most urgent medical supplies and patients that require urgent medical care need to be evacuated safely. In this context, we urge Israel to exercise maximum restraint to ensure the protection of civilians.”
“The EU condemns the use of hospitals and civilians as human shields by Hamas,” the assertion mentioned.
It reiterated Brussels’ stance that Israel has a “right to defend itself in line with international law and international humanitarian law”.
The EU referred to as for fast and “unhindered” humanitarian entry so support can attain Gazans struggling underneath greater than a month of bombardment, displacement and very restricted water, meals, gas and shelter.
It referred to as on Hamas to launch the 240 hostages its militants took captive in the course of the October 7 assault on Israeli communities near Gaza, and mentioned it was “crucial” that the International Committee of the Red Cross be given entry to the hostages.
“The EU joins calls for immediate pauses in hostilities and the establishment of humanitarian corridors,” it mentioned.
Source: www.thehindu.com
