Activists in Brussels urge EU to push for Gaza ceasefire
At around 8.30am on Monday morning, a number of activists and NGOs released 290 red balloons in front of the Council of the EU and the European Parliament in Brussels. Each balloon symbolises a day of violence and conflict in Gaza and the Middle East.
The NGOs, including Handicap International Belgium, Save the Children Europe, ActionAid International and Plan International, are calling on EU leaders to show 'decisive leadership' and 'take concrete action to bring about an immediate and lasting ceasefire' in Gaza.
The 290 balloons carried shocking testimonies and figures on the number of dead and wounded to express their dissatisfaction with the EU's 'lack of effort to end the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza'.
"There are constant reports of the ongoing bombing and shelling in Gaza. The Israeli army is attacking hospitals, schools and refugee camps, even though some of these places have been declared 'safe zones' by the army," says Antoine Sépulchre, director general of Handicap International Belgium.
NGOs are calling on the EU to take urgent action to bring about a ceasefire in the region. "The prolonged political inaction has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis," say the organisations involved. Immediate and effective intervention is needed.
More than 38,700 civilians, including 14,000 children, have died as a result of Israel's violence in Gaza and the West Bank. Almost 1.9 million people have been displaced.
Alma Taslidžan, Disarmament and Protection of Civilians Advocacy Manager for Handicap International © BELGA VIDEO NICOLAS MAETERLINCK PHOTO: Save the Children Europe
Related news
