“We were in the European Parliament, after [we went] to Washington, from Washington to Cairo and now in Luxembourg we continue discussing about the same issue: the situation in Israel [and] Palestine after the terrorist attacks launched by Hamas against Israel. Today, the Ministers [for Foreign Affairs] will continue elaborating on the decisions, on the analysis done by the European Council” said the EU top diplomat Josep Borrell, while entering the Foreign Affairs Council, Luxembourg.

“I participated in this Council from Sevilla, in the south of Spain, by videoconference, and now the most important thing is to call for humanitarian support to go into Gaza.

“In Cairo, the Secretary-General of the United Nations [António Guterres] made a dramatic call in order to allow this humanitarian help to enter. The first day, 20 trucks were allowed to come in – 20. Yesterday, they were about 20 more. But in normal times, without the war, 100 trucks entered into Gaza every day. So, it is clear that 20 [trucks], it is not enough.

“We have invited to participate in the Council my colleague, Commissioner in charge of Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, who will inform us. I have been talking with him, and he explained to me that it is important [to bring] more support – more humanitarian support – and it is important to have fuel in order to make the power stations work and the desalination stations work. Otherwise, there is no water, there is no electricity. Without water and electricity, the hospitals can barely work. It is important [to bring] more, quicker and in particular to enter the basic things that make water and electricity supplies being restored. 

“We will discuss also about the call of the United Nations for a humanitarian pause, which is also needed, even for giving back the hostages.

“The attacks of missiles, of rockets from Hamas throughout Gaza have to stop. The hostages, the people who have been kidnapped, have to be released, obviously. It is part of any step towards de-escalation, and we have to start thinking of how to revive the political process. But the priority at the moment is to make humanitarian support go into Gaza. “The attacks of missiles, of rockets from Hamas throughout Gaza have to stop. The hostages, the people who have been kidnapped, have to be released, obviously. It is part of any step towards de-escalation, and we have to start thinking of how to revive the political process. But the priority at the moment is to make humanitarian support go into Gaza. 

“The [European] Commission, we – the European Union – have increased our support, but there are queues and queues of trucks waiting to enter. They have to enter, and they have to bring the things that are badly needed, in particular, the fuel needed to make – I repeat – the desalinisation of water. 

“Then, we have to discuss about the political process. The peace process has been forgotten for too long. The great powers have forgotten about the Palestinian issue thinking that it was going to be solved alone or that it does not mater – yes, it matters. Yes, we have to continue working on that. We launched this initiative [Peace Day Effort] during the UN General Assembly (UNGA). Now, there is for sure the need, it has to be upgraded, and we will start discussing about that. 

“Then, Ukraine. Do not forget about Ukraine. Ukraine continues fighting. It will be on the agenda. 

“[We will also discuss] Nagorno-Karabakh.

“We are going to have a meeting with the Central Asian countries, a ministerial meeting at the level of the [Foreign] ministers. All ministers will come – it shows the great importance that we consider that this part of the world has, in particular in order to watch the circumvention of sanctions towards Russia.

“This is the agenda for today.