European Diplomats Visit Gaza to Assess Reconstruction Needs

A Palestinian man is seen at his destroyed house after an Israeli raid on Gaza. (Reuters)
A Palestinian man is seen at his destroyed house after an Israeli raid on Gaza. (Reuters)
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European Diplomats Visit Gaza to Assess Reconstruction Needs

A Palestinian man is seen at his destroyed house after an Israeli raid on Gaza. (Reuters)
A Palestinian man is seen at his destroyed house after an Israeli raid on Gaza. (Reuters)

A high-ranking European delegation of 20 ambassadors visited Gaza to assess the humanitarian situation and construction needs.

It is the first visit by a European diplomatic delegation to the coastal enclave since the last wave of tensions between Palestinian factions and Israel in May.

The delegation toured destroyed houses and listened to testimonies of families. They included the Nabaheen family, consisting of more than 100 people, nine of whom have special needs.

EU Representative in Palestine Sven Kuhn von Burgsdorff said the visit aims to express solidarity with the victims of the recent war in Gaza.

"The European missions' representatives expressed their condolences to the victims of the tension, and it became clear from our information that the victims were mainly civilians," he added.

The European delegation "looks forward to completing a report explaining what happened."

Von Burgsdorff renewed the EU position that calls for consolidating ceasefire understandings in Gaza and implementing the two-state solution to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Meanwhile, representatives of families whose homes were destroyed in the recent round of tension with Israel called on the European diplomats to actively contribute to accelerating the reconstruction of their homes.

The recent Israeli attacks killed 33 Palestinians, including five children, three women, and 11 members of the Islamic Jihad group.

According to Palestinian officials, the raids displaced 200 families, or around 1,000 people. The attacks destroyed 103 housing units and over 2,800 were partially demolished, while 150 were uninhabitable.



Netanyahu: Cabinet Won't Meet Over Ceasefire Until Hamas Drops New Demands

People check the rubble of buildings hit in Israeli strikes the previous night in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, on January 16, 2025, following a truce announcement amid the war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)
People check the rubble of buildings hit in Israeli strikes the previous night in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, on January 16, 2025, following a truce announcement amid the war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)
TT

Netanyahu: Cabinet Won't Meet Over Ceasefire Until Hamas Drops New Demands

People check the rubble of buildings hit in Israeli strikes the previous night in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, on January 16, 2025, following a truce announcement amid the war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)
People check the rubble of buildings hit in Israeli strikes the previous night in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, on January 16, 2025, following a truce announcement amid the war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Thursday his Cabinet won’t meet to approve the agreement for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of dozens of hostages until Hamas backs down from what it called a “last minute crisis.”
Netanyahu’s office accused Hamas of reneging on parts of the agreement in an attempt “to extort last minute concessions.” It did not elaborate.
The Israeli Cabinet was set to ratify the deal Thursday.
Meanwhile, Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip have killed at least 48 people over the past day. In previous conflicts, both sides have stepped up military operations in the final hours before ceasefires go into effect as a way to project strength.
Gaza’s Health Ministry said the 48 bodies of people killed since midday Wednesday were brought to several hospitals.