EU Urges Israel to Grant Urgent Aid Access to Gaza Amid Flooding

The European Union has called on Israel to urgently expand humanitarian assistance to Gaza's residents following severe flooding caused by heavy rains. Brussels demanded that Israel provide humanitarian missions with immediate access to the Gaza Strip to address the aftermath of the destructive downpours and insisted on the prompt reopening of all border crossings into the enclave. The EU stressed the importance of continuous resource distribution to the civilian population affected by the disaster, stating, "We strongly urge Israel to ensure immediate and unimpeded access and sustained distribution of humanitarian aid and support in the early stages of large-scale recovery, and to reopen all border crossings into the Gaza Strip."

In response, Israel's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) reported that preventive measures were taken last week. COGAT stated that they had worked with international partners to improve sanitation and prepare the enclave's infrastructure for the rainy season. Official Jerusalem also rejected accusations of artificially limiting the flow of goods and essential items across the border, asserting that such claims distract from Hamas's responsibility for the dire situation of the local population.