PACE's rapporteur on the situation in the Middle East, Dora Bakoyannis (Greece, EPP/CD), has made the following statement:
"The encouraging news that some humanitarian aid is reaching Gaza is overshadowed by the grim reality of what Gaza has become: a landscape of death and devastation. 661 days after Hamas's horrific terrorist attack, so many lives, both Palestinian and Israeli, have been needlessly lost. So much avoidable tragedy, displacement and, now, starvation have been caused.
Iair Horn, who endured 498 days in captivity, said that 'when there's less food, then there's also less for the hostages'. Calling on the Israeli government to do everything within its power to stop this tragedy cannot be labelled as antisemitism. 74% of Israeli society, including former prime ministers and senior IDF officials, demand the same.
The original objectives of bringing back the hostages and dismantling Hamas's military capabilities have been sidelined by goals that are internationally illegal and, regrettably, openly declared: the annexation of Gaza and the displacement of its population. From a humanitarian standpoint, the situation has long since surpassed our worst nightmares. Politically, I struggle to understand how images of starvation, mass displacement, widespread killings, and utter destruction do anything other than strengthen Hamas's narrative, while severely undermining Israel's position.
This catastrophe must not be allowed to continue. The hostages must be brought home. The indiscriminate suffering of civilians must cease. The world is watching, history is recording, and the responsibility to choose humanity over political calculations rests squarely on the shoulders of the leaders involved."
