The suffering of Palestinian civilians “cannot go on,” German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock warned Tuesday during a visit to Cairo, urging more concrete measures to deliver humanitarian aid to the besieged Gaza Strip.
“The Israeli army must do more to protect Palestinian civilians in Gaza,” Baerbock said, after a meeting with her Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry, German media reported. “The suffering of so many innocent Palestinians cannot go on like this.”
Baerbock said Gaza and the West Bank belong to Palestinians, who should not be displaced from these territories. Israel has been carrying out a devastating ground assault in the Gaza Strip for months, in response to a violent attack by Hamas militants on Israelis in October.
The foreign minister also called for the opening of more border crossings and for more frequent humanitarian breaks to allow the flow of aid. “The speed of deliveries is now crucial,” Baerbock said, adding that the current aid is “not enough to reach the people.”
Baerbock traveled to Israel Sunday and is headed to the Rafah crossing later Tuesday, along with Shoukry, German media reported.
