Israel blocks European delegation from visiting besieged Gaza Strip

The Israeli occupation authorities prevented an official delegation from the European Parliament from entering the Gaza Strip, where it was supposed to meet with officials from the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

The delegation includes three MEPs, Chris Davies, from UK, Norbert Neuser, from Germany, and Nicole Kiil-Nielsen, from France, who had intended to meet with UNRWA officials to discuss the use of EU money on humanitarian projects in the Gaza Strip.

Moscow news agency published a statement issued by the European Parliament, saying that the occupation forces stationed at Beit Hanoun "Erez" crossing in the northern Gaza Strip prevented the members of the delegation from entering Gaza.

The Israeli authorities claimed that the MEPs from the European Parliament's delegation would not be solely concerned with humanitarian matters. But the allegation was strongly refuted by the MEPs, who said that Israel's closure of the Gaza Strip is in breach of international law.

"Israel has inflicted an economic catastrophe upon the people of Gaza and the humanitarian consequences are all too well known," they said. "Instead of preventing MEPs assessing where European taxpayers' money is being put to good use the Israeli authorities should be hugely grateful for the EU's efforts," they added.

The EU parliament statement pointed that the Geneva Convention makes clear that Israel is responsible for the well-being of the people under its control and occupation, but the EU is paying bills that are rightly Israel's responsibility.

The occupation has prevented last October a European parliamentary delegation from entering the Gaza Strip through Beit Hanoun crossing

UNRWA receives more than 100 million euro annually from the European Union, much of which is spent on emergency food distribution and the provision of education within Gaza.

The Commissioner General of the UN agency Filippo Grandi has asked a few days ago the international community to work on lifting the blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip.