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Source: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/uk-backed-gaza-humanitarian-aid-statement-sparks-row-with-israel/
Israel: European E3 Statement on Gaza "Is Morally Twisted"
(Jewish News-UK) Lee Harpin - A joint statement by the UK, France, and Germany demands that Israel "immediately restart the flow of aid" to Gaza. It also criticizes comments by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz who last week said that Israel has no intention of allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza until a "civilian" mechanism is established to bypass Hamas's control of supplies. Katz also said the IDF would remain in buffer zones "in any temporary or permanent reality in Gaza" to protect nearby Israeli communities. Responding on Wednesday, Israel's Foreign Ministry said: "Israel is fighting Hamas, which steals humanitarian aid, uses it to rebuild its war machine, and hides behind civilians....Article 70 of the First Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions requires aid when 'the civilian population is not adequately supplied. During the 42-day ceasefire, 25,000 aid trucks entered Gaza. Israel is monitoring the situation on the ground, and there is no shortage of aid in Gaza." Instead of mentioning that "Hamas is the one targeting Israeli civilians while hiding behind Palestinian civilians," the E3 countries "chose to accuse Israel of strikes on humanitarian personnel and healthcare facilities - this is morally twisted and wrong....All condemnations should be directed at Hamas, which hides in hospitals and behind civilians." "The so-called balance the E3 statement is trying to create between Israel and Hamas is ethically outrageous," mentioning "only in passing the fact that Hamas still holds 59 hostages in inhumane conditions underground. The war can end tomorrow if the hostages are released and Hamas lays down its weapons."