EU commissioner demands access to Gaza to see reality on ground

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - The European commissioner for Equality, Preparedness, and Crisis Management on Friday reiterated her readiness to go to Gaza "as soon as possible" to see the reality on the ground.

"We have a responsibility -- and I reiterate my readiness to go to Gaza as soon as possible to see the reality on the ground, alongside our humanitarian partners," Hadja Lahbib wrote in a post on X.

She noted that he was briefed by Maciej Popowski, director-general of EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, upon his return from Israel, but that Popowski was denied access to Gaza, which "we deeply regret."

"We are ready to deploy EU monitoring missions at any time. The structures exist. The will is there. What we need is access."

Mentioning that there has been some progress in this regard, however, Lahbib said it is still "a drop in the ocean."

"Without access, we cannot properly assess needs or deliver aid. People are dying. Children are starving. Every minute costs lives. The time to act is now. Give us access," she noted.