This post has already been read 918 times!
The United States (U.S.) on Monday warned that any Gaza ceasefire by Israel would benefit Hamas, as the European Union (EU) considers a call for a humanitarian pause.
A ceasefire would “give Hamas ability to rest, refit and get ready to continue launching terrorist attacks against Israel,” State Department spokesman. Matthew Miller told reporters.
“You can understand perfectly why that’s an intolerable situation for Israel, as it would be an intolerable situation for any country that has suffered such a brutal terrorist attack and continues to see the terrorist threat right on its border,” he said.
EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said earlier that he expected the bloc’s leaders to back a call for a pause in fighting to let in aid.
“I believe the idea of a pause to facilitate arrival of humanitarian aid, which would allow displaced persons to find shelter, is something that the leaders will support,” Borrell said after talks with EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg.
The blockaded Gaza Strip was hit by one of the deadliest nights of Israeli bombing so far in the war against Palestinian militant group Hamas, as two more hostages were freed.
At least 400 Palestinians were killed in Gaza in the last 24 hours, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, and 70 were killed overnight on Sunday in bombardments of the Jabalia refugee camp and streets close to two hospitals in Gaza City.
The ministry said yesterday that more than 5,000 people have been killed in the besieged Palestinian enclave since Israel launched its bombing campaign more than two weeks ago.
On a day when Israel’s army reported more than 300 new strikes within 24 hours, Gaza’s health ministry said the death toll had surged above 5,000, around 40 per cent of them children.
Thousands of buildings have been destroyed and more than one million people displaced in the territory that has been under siege and largely deprived of water, food and other basic supplies.
On Sunday, it emerged U.S. had pressed Israel to delay its expected ground assault on Gaza to allow time for the release of more hostages believed to be held in the exclave, and delivery of more aid to the besieged territory.
