BRUSSELS, July 31 (RIA Novosti) – The European Union has strongly condemned the shelling of a UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) school in Gaza and called for an immediate investigation into the incident, EU spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic said Thursday.
“We are condemning in the strongest possible terms the attack on the UNRWA school in Gaza and the market in Shejaiya. We find unacceptable that innocent displaced civilians who were taking shelter in designated UN areas have been killed and we believe these incidents should be investigated with immediate effect,” the spokesperson for EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton said.
The European Union is deeply concerned by the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, she added.
“We reiterate that all sides must meet their obligations and immediately allow safe and full humanitarian access for the urgent distribution of assistance,” the spokeswoman stressed.
The European Union is calling on both sides of the conflict to establish a ceasefire, Ashton’s spokesperson added.
“If you are referring to Israeli military operations, we’ve been very clear that they need to be proportionate and in line with international humanitarian law,” Kocijancic said when asked by a reporter why she did not give the name of the country whose actions the EU had condemned.
On Wednesday, at least twenty people were killed after shelling hit the UNRWA school in the Jabalia refugee camp located in the Gaza Strip, where Israel has been conducting a special military operation against the Hamas movement. More than 3,300 Palestinians were taking shelter in the school, according to the UNRWA. Additionally, at least 17 people died during the shelling of the market in Shejaiya near Gaza City on the same day.
Israel launched Operation Protective Edge to put an end to rocket fire from Gaza on July 8. On July 17, the Israeli Army switched to a ground assault largely aimed at locating and destroying rocket launchers and underground tunnels used by militants to smuggle arms and secretly enter Israeli territory. More than 1,300 Palestinians and over 40 Israelis have been killed since the clashes began.
