Israeli offensive in Gaza 'continues causing heavy toll': EU foreign policy chief

The European Union Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell speaks during a press conference in Brussels, Belgium on November 13, 2023 [Dursun Aydemir/Anadolu Agency]

The EU foreign policy chief on Friday urged a “new pause” in Gaza, saying Israeli offensive in the besieged strip continues “causing a heavy toll”, Anadolu Agency reports.

“Israeli ground offensive in central Gaza continues causing a heavy toll in spite of IDF (Israeli army) obligation to protect civilians – bombing on the Maghazi refugee camps was one of the deadliest and now displacement of further 150,000 people reported,” Josep Borrell said on X.

A new pause in hostilities is urgent

he urged.

On 24 November, a week-long humanitarian pause began in Gaza under which a prisoner swap was implemented between Palestinian group Hamas and Israel.

The Israeli onslaught has left Gaza in ruins, with 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure damaged or destroyed, and nearly 2 million residents displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicines.

READ: Situation in Middle East is ‘alarming’: UN

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