EU High Representative and European Commission Vice President Kaja Kallas demanded that Israel allow humanitarian access to Gaza on a Tuesday call with Israel’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. The demand comes amid Israel’s nine-week-long blockade on humanitarian aid.

Kallas condemned the politicization of humanitarian aid and argued that aid should be provided by humanitarian organizations free from political interference.

Israel’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gideon Sa’ar, in response, justified the decision to block aid from Gaza because he claims it was being used to support Hamas, describing the nine-week-long blockade as a “change in the way [Israel] facilitates the entrance of goods”.

There is no evidence that Israel is allowing the entrance of any humanitarian aid to Gaza, with the UN describing the situation as a “deliberate decision to block all aid to Gaza.” Additionally, UNRWA has found there to be no credible evidence of humanitarian aid being diverted to Hamas.

Under customary international law, states must provide unimpeded humanitarian access to civilians in need, and are prohibited from the use of starvation against a civilian population as a method of warfare. Although a state can inspect humanitarian aid and take steps to ensure that it is not used to aid combatants, there is no legitimate justification under international law for the complete siege of a city filled with civilians.

According to the most recent UN estimates, over 439,000 people are currently displaced in Gaza, with essential humanitarian supplies running critically low. This comes in light of recent reports that Israel is planning to completely occupy Gaza and expel the Palestinian population from the enclave.

The EU high representative/vice president represents both the European Council and European Commission, and is often viewed as the most cohesive representation of the EU’s somewhat fragmented foreign policy positions.