EU sets up new humanitarian air bridge to Gaza

The move brings the total EU aid supply to over 1,000 tonnes, with 30 flights under the humanitarian air bridge. The latest flights will transport tents, hygiene kits and medical equipment provided by humanitarian partners, as well as donations from Belgium, Ireland, Germany, Greece, Luxembourg, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain and Germany.

To ensure a comprehensive response to the crisis, the EU is also stepping up support to the Egyptian health system to receive evacuees from Gaza. Through the Civil Protection Mechanism, the EU is facilitating requests for assistance from Sweden, Spain, Austria, Poland, Italy and Germany to Egypt.

Aid provided by Sweden and Spain, including essential medical equipment, was delivered on November 29, with logistical support from Belgium. An Italian ship carrying medical equipment arrived in Egypt on December 3. The rest of the aid will be delivered in the coming weeks.

Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarčič assessed that the current situation in Gaza has led to a rise in civilian deaths. Lenarčič reiterated that humanitarian aid must be accessible without hindrance, on the scale needed, and reach the population across the Gaza Strip in a safe manner. At the same time, the consequences of the crisis are weighing heavily on neighboring countries such as Egypt.

The EU has been working tirelessly with humanitarian partners, Member States and international organisations to ensure a comprehensive humanitarian response and support for civil protection where it is needed most.

* In a related move, United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the same day asked the Security Council (UNSC) to take action to prevent the humanitarian disaster in Gaza.

According to UN Secretary-General's spokesman Stephane Dujarric, Mr. Guterres wrote a letter to the President of the Security Council to request action, in which he invoked Article 99 of the UN Charter for the first time since becoming UN Secretary-General in 2017. In addition, the UN chief also called on relevant parties to declare a humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

Article 99 of the UN Charter provides: “The Secretary-General may bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security.”

* Sharing the same view with Secretary-General Guterres, in an interview with AFP news agency on December 6, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Filippo Grandi said that the massive influx of Palestinians into neighboring countries would be a "disaster" and highlighted the need for a ceasefire.

Mr. Grandi expressed “hope that there will not be a mass exodus of Palestinians in the region,” stressing that “it is necessary to address (the humanitarian crisis and the lack of aid to Gaza) to prevent a mass exodus that would become a real disaster.”