Despite a recent agreement between Israel and the European Union aimed at boosting humanitarian aid to Gaza, no meaningful progress has been observed on the ground, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said Monday.
Speaking ahead of the EU-Middle East ministerial meeting in Brussels, Abdelatty emphasized that “nothing has changed” in the flow of aid to the besieged enclave. The EU’s foreign policy chief had announced last week that the bloc and Israel had agreed to improve Gaza’s humanitarian conditions by increasing aid truck access and opening additional crossings. However, concrete implementation remains unclear.
When asked what measures Israel has taken since the agreement, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar acknowledged the EU understanding but offered no specific details. Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi echoed Abdelatty’s concerns, calling the humanitarian situation in Gaza “catastrophic.”
“There is a real catastrophe happening in Gaza due to the ongoing Israeli siege,” Safadi said. He noted that Israel allowed only 40 to 50 trucks through from Jordan in recent days, which he described as “far from sufficient” to meet the needs of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said there were “some signs of progress” but admitted the humanitarian response still falls short. Aid agencies and the United Nations have repeatedly warned that Israel’s military operations and blockade are driving Gaza toward famine. A recent UN report estimated that nearly half a million people in Gaza could face famine conditions by the end of September.
As the crisis deepens, regional leaders are urging immediate and tangible actions to alleviate Gaza’s acute food insecurity and prevent a humanitarian disaster.