Former EU foreign policy chief accuses US 'mercenaries' of killing starving Palestinians

BRUSSELS

Former EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has accused US-linked armed groups of killing hundreds of starving Palestinians in Gaza, while criticizing the EU's alleged inaction.

In a post on social media platform X on Thursday, Borrell said: "In 1 month 550 starving Palestinians have been killed by US mercenaries while trying to get food at the points indicated by the so called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation."

"This is horrendous but the EU Commission and EU Council remain unwilling to take any action against these crimes," he added.

Borrell, who concluded his term as the EU's top diplomat in 2024, has been a vocal critic of Israel's attacks and has previously called for a review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.

Israel has killed more than 57,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza since October 2023. The military onslaught has destroyed the enclave, and led to food shortages and spread of disease.

Several Palestinians have been killed in recent days while attempting to get much-needed humanitarian aid at sites associated with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an American organization backed by Israel.

Israel cut off supplies into Gaza in March, while the GHF began operations in late May.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.