Israel prevented the European Commissioner for Equality from entering Gaza

The European Commissioner for Equality and Crisis Management, Haja Habib, said she had intended to enter Gaza during her visit to Egypt, but Israel refused her request to cross. She made these remarks on Friday at the Rafah crossing. She noted that Palestinians are still being killed daily by the Israeli army, explaining that 347 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire began, including 67 children.

The first phase of the agreement went into effect on October 10, following a two-year war of genocide waged by Israel, with US support, on Gaza since October 2013. She added that she had planned to cross the border to see the situation in Gaza for herself, but Israel did not grant her an entry permit, which deeply saddened her. She pointed out that Gaza has become a graveyard for thousands of civilians, including aid workers. She said that nearly 600 aid workers had been killed while trying to save lives in one of the most dangerous places on earth, adding that thousands of families in Gaza are living among the rubble without shelter or protection from the coming winter cold, and warning that experts predict a catastrophic winter.

She reiterated the need for a continued ceasefire and adherence to international law as the only way to protect civilians.

She said that the process should move from the first phase to the second, which includes the disarmament of Hamas and the release of the remaining prisoners.

She noted that some aid had begun to reach Palestinians in Gaza, but that this was insufficient, stressing the need to open all crossings.

The Israeli war of annihilation in Gaza left more than 69,000 Palestinians dead and 170,000 wounded, most of them children and women, and caused massive destruction, with the cost of reconstruction estimated by the United Nations at around $70 billion.