Minister of Development Cooperation Caroline Gennez (Vooruit) wants the International Criminal Court to investigate whether Israel is committing war crimes in the Gaza Strip. She said this at VTM News. “All elements point in that direction,” said the minister. She says Israel is punishing innocent civilians in retaliation for a terrorist attack.
The politician told VTM News that Israel is “collectively punishing” innocent civilians for Hamas’s terrorist attack. Gennez is therefore not in favor of arms deliveries to Israel and believes that the country should be punished. “There must be an investigation by the International Criminal Court into whether the laws of war have been violated here,” the minister says. “All elements point in that direction.” She thinks it is a good thing that the United Nations continues to insist on this.
The minister also wants to investigate countermeasures, including regarding Israeli products and visas for high-ranking people. “We must also work towards the recognition of two states, Israel and Palestine, where people can live together in peace,” it said.
Another 150 Belgians are stuck in Gaza
More than 150 compatriots are currently still in custody in the Gaza Strip who have indicated that they want to leave. On Saturday, about twenty Belgians landed from Cairo, Egypt, at Eindhoven airport in the Netherlands, after being able to leave Gaza last Thursday.
For the minister, it is “the absolute ambition” to bring all those 150 people to our country, but at the moment that is not possible because the border crossing at Rafah is closed again. “First and foremost, the border to Egypt must be open and secondly, you must get to the border crossing safely,” Gennez emphasizes. But that is difficult, since there is “continuous bombardment”, it sounds.
The minister confirms that our country is in permanent contact with the Belgians in Gaza. “But that is not always easy since Israel shuts down the internet and telephony,” she says. “It is a horrible situation that is causing many innocent civilians and children to suffer inhumanly.”
10 million euros of Belgian aid
According to Gennez, our country mainly helps financially. “Emergency aid has been increased by 2 million euros, bringing the total amount this year to 10 million euros,” it said. This money goes to Palestinian schools, hospitals and basic necessities such as drinking water, food and medicine. “On a normal day in Gaza – which is actually an open-air prison – at least 300 trucks arrive to supply the entire Gaza Strip.” But due to the war, aid is currently scarce, the minister said.
Gennez says he is certain that none of the millions of Belgian aid will end up in the hands of Hamas. “We obviously do not work with a terrorist organization like Hamas,” she assures.
Watch the full studio conversation with Caroline Gennez below
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Tags: Minister Gennez Vooruit investigation Israel war crimes Gaza IsraelPalestine conflict
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