Brussels 22.01.2024 The Foreign Affairs Council uniting the EU Ministers of foreign affairs will hold an exchange of views on the situation in the Middle East.

The Council discussion will be informed by separate informal exchanges with: the Israeli Foreign Minister of Foreign Affairs Israel Katz in the morning, the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States Ahmed Aboul Gheit and the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia – Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud -, Egypt – Sameh Shoukry -, and Jordan – Ayman Safadi – over lunch, and the Foreign Affairs Minister of the Palestinian National Authority Riyad al-Maliki in the afternoon.

Ministers will discuss developments on the ground and in the wider region, and may touch on the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, the need to prevent spill-over in the region and the way forward.

“This is what Sigrid [Kaag- the United Nations humanitarian and reconstruction coordinator for Gazа] is trying to look for, – said the EU top diplomat Josep Borrell commenting of the humanitarian situation in Gaza. – Certainly, today the number of trucks and controls, and the delays of entering the trucks, is not in accordance with the needs of hundreds of thousands of people. And that is why, the United Nations has nominated a Special Coordinator for Humanitarian Support [and Reconstruction for Gaza]. She is working, and she told me yesterday that there are some issues, some possibilities – opening harbours, opening cross borders. It is her job, and we will support her. Because certainly, today the situation does not allow to make these people survive”.

The High Representative Josep Borrell said that the today’s meeting of the EU diplomats was “exceptional”, taking into consideration the number of high profile guests.

“We managed to invite – and they are coming today – first, the Israeli Foreign Minister [Israel Katz] – the new one. Second, the representatives of the Arab and Muslim countries diplomatic initiatives: the Ministers [for Foreign Affairs] of Saudi Arabia [Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud], Egypt [Sameh Shoukry], Jordan [Ayman Al Safadi] and the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States [Ahmed Abou Ghei]. And after, in a separate session, the Foreign Affairs Minister of Palestine [Riyad al-Maliki]”- the EU top diplomat Josep Borrell said, entering the meeting.

“So, we are going to have here today all actors – [of] the countries engaged, the countries who are directly affected by the situation in Gaza. I have been talking with the new United Nations [Senior] Coordinator for the Humanitarian support [and Reconstruction for Gaza], Sigrid [Kaag], who explained to me yesterday on the phone. She will also come to the Council to debrief the ministers.

“The humanitarian situation [in Gaza] could not be worse. It could not be worse. There are no words to explain how the situation is, with hundreds of thousands without anything – without shelter, without food, without medicines, and under the bombs.

“And every day, there is a high toll of civilian people being killed. Many ministers have said that there are “too many”. Well, the question is: how many is “too many”? What does it mean “too many”? [Is] too many 25,000 people? For how long is this going to continue?

“This is the thing that ministers will discuss today, so it is a very important meeting. I am happy to have managed to invite them, and to make them to come.

“This is what Sigrid [Kaag- the United Nations humanitarian and reconstruction coordinator for Gazа] is trying to look for, – said the EU top diplomat Josep Borrell commenting of the humanitarian situation in Gaza. – Certainly, today the number of trucks and controls, and the delays of entering the trucks, is not in accordance with the needs of hundreds of thousands of people. And that is why, the United Nations has nominated a Special Coordinator for Humanitarian Support [and Reconstruction for Gaza]. She is working, and she told me yesterday that there are some issues, some possibilities – opening harbours, opening cross borders. It is her job, and we will support her. Because certainly, today the situation does not allow to make these people survive”.