Brussels: The situation in the Gaza Strip is intolerable and worsening, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul declared on Tuesday.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA, Wadephul expressed his concerns to reporters in Brussels, following his recent visits to Israel and the Palestinian territories. He emphasized the deteriorating conditions in Gaza, stating, “During my recent visit to Israel and my visit to the Palestinian territories, I expressed that I consider the situation in the Gaza Strip to be intolerable – and it has not got better, it has got worse.”
Wadephul reinforced Germany’s stance against any plans to forcibly displace Palestinians from their homeland. He stated, “There must be no expulsion, direct or indirect, of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip. I have also explained this very clearly to our Israeli partners and friends during my visit, and this is the basis of our future policy.”
The Gaza ceasefire agreement was unilaterally ended by Israel, which resumed its aggression on the Strip on Tuesday, March 18. The escalation included a series of airstrikes across the Strip, resulting in significant casualties, including over 100 children.
Medical sources reported that the death toll had reached at least 3,427, with 9,647 others wounded. In just the past 24 hours, Gaza hospitals admitted the bodies of 87 slain Palestinians and 290 casualties.
The resumption of hostilities has intensified concerns over the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, exacerbated by the ongoing siege and restrictions on the entry of medical and humanitarian aid.
Since October 2023, Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of 53,573 Palestinians, predominantly women and children, and injuries to 121,688 others. Additionally, around 10,000 people remain unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes.
The conflict has also led to the forced displacement of nearly two million people from the Gaza Strip. Most of the displaced have moved to the densely populated southern city of Rafah, near the Egyptian border, marking the largest mass exodus since the 1948 Nakba.