Josep Borrell raises alarm over Israeli evacuation orders for Khan Younis

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and European Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic have warned that Israeli orders to evacuate over 250,000 Palestinians from the eastern area of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, will worsen an already dire humanitarian situation.

In a joint statement, they said that the move would exacerbate overcrowding and exert more pressure on the already overwhelmed remaining hospitals. They added that forced evacuations are creating “a humanitarian crisis within the crisis”.

The orders have already prompted staff and patients at the European Hospital, one of the largest hospitals in southern Gaza, to flee.

“A ceasefire is all the more important now, and would make possible a surge of humanitarian assistance to Gaza as well as the release of all hostages,” they said.