Kallas: Israel must stop targeting civilians and preventing the entry of aid.

European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaya Kallas called on Israel on Wednesday to stop targeting civilians in Gaza and preventing the entry of humanitarian aid.

This came in a statement issued by the organization, which stated that the Israeli military operation in Gaza, its disproportionate use of force, and the killing of civilians are intolerable, and the continued targeting of civilian infrastructure is unacceptable.

She stressed that the European Union demands the release of all prisoners and a return to the ceasefire.

In this regard, she said, "The European Union reiterates the need not to politicize or militarize humanitarian aid, recalls the role of the United Nations in distributing humanitarian aid, and reiterates its call for the immediate, unhindered, and sustainable resumption of aid delivery to meet the needs of the civilian population in Gaza."

In her statement, she also addressed the situation in the Palestinian territories in the West Bank and Jerusalem, saying, "The European Union strongly condemns the ongoing settler violence in the occupied West Bank."

"The campaigns of intimidation, physical and verbal assaults, and the destruction and burning of property and homes are leading to the displacement of entire Palestinian communities. Israel must take immediate, decisive action to address this issue and ensure that the perpetrators of these crimes are held accountable," she added.

It also condemned "the events that took place in the Old City on Jerusalem Day, including incitement to violence and intimidation of residents and journalists. The provocative actions taken by Israeli political leaders in this context undermine the special status and character of Jerusalem and the Old City."

On Tuesday, settlers attacked several Palestinian towns, including Qaryut, Al-Mughayyir, and Abu Falah in the Nablus and Ramallah governorates. They burned seven vehicles and crops, and assaulted Anadolu Agency photographer Issam Rimawi.

During April, settlers carried out 231 acts of vandalism and theft of citizens' property, targeting vast areas of land, according to the Palestine Liberation Organization's Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission.

In parallel with the war of extermination in Gaza, the Israeli military and settlers' escalation of attacks in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, has resulted in the deaths of at least 972 Palestinians, the injury of nearly 7,000, and the arrest of more than 17,000, according to Palestinian data.

Since October 7, 2023, Israel, with full American support, has been waging a genocidal war in Gaza, leaving approximately 177,000 Palestinians dead or wounded, most of them children and women, more than 11,000 missing, and hundreds of thousands displaced.