During a visit to the Rafah border crossing in Egypt on Friday, Spain and Belgium called for a permanent ceasefire. The move infuriated Israel.
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, as instructed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, summoned Belgium and Spain’s ambassadors over the comments made by their prime ministers at the Rafah crossing on Friday, Israeli reported.
During a visit to the Rafah border crossing in Egypt on Friday, Spain and Belgium called for a permanent ceasefire.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Belgian PM Alexander De Croo visited the Rafah crossing after they met with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi earlier on Friday.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Belgian PM Alexander De Croo visited the Rafah crossing and called for a permanent ceasefire. https://t.co/dpootfOr5d
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) November 24, 2023
During the press conference, Sánchez described the situation in Gaza as “the worst humanitarian disaster in modern times”.
“What is happening is a disaster, and we have dealt with it effectively, managing to stop the firing, leading to the arrival of aid,” Sánchez reportedly stated.
The Spanish PM also urged the international community to officially recognize the state of Palestine, stating that: “We may decide to recognize the state of Palestine if the European Union does not”.
For his part, Belgium’s PM De Croo called on Israel to stop the killing of civilians in the Gaza Strip, emphasizing that a four-day ceasefire is not sufficient and calling for a permanent cessation of hostilities.”
REUTERS: Israel summoned the ambassadors of Spain and Belgium.
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— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) November 24, 2023
“We will resume fighting after the ceasefire until the elimination of Hamas rule in the Gaza Strip and the release of all the abductees,” Israeli FM Cohen said, in response to the two European leaders’ remarks.
Until a humanitarian truce entered into force on Friday, November 24, the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza announced that over 14,854 Palestinians, including nearly 6,150 children, with another 36,000 wounded. 7,000 Palestinians are missing, including more than 4,700 women and children.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
