Belgium’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Hadja Lahbib has summoned the Israeli ambassador after a a building of Belgian development agency in Gaza Strip was bombed.
“Attacks on civilian infrastructure breach the principles of international humanitarian law. All parties must adhere to it,” Lahbib wrote on X on Friday, February 2.
She also shared two images, one showing an apartment building with a January 28, 2024 time stamp and the other showing rubble from a destroyed building.
In a statement, foreign ministry said, “Belgium will put the issue of compensation for the damaged infrastructure of projects financed by the EU and its Member States back on the agenda of a next European consultation.”
The ministry has emphasized the need for a lasting humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, a resumption of the peace process, and political negotiations for a two-state solution.
“Our office in #Gaza has been totally destroyed yesterday in a bombing. Attacking civilian buildings is totally unacceptable. We are all shocked at Enabel. As a Government agency working for the common good in a framework of international humanitarian law, we cannot accept this,” Jean Van Wetter, the CEO of Enabel, wrote on X.
Since the start of the war on October 7, 2023, Israel has targeted civilian infrastructure in Gaza, destroying over 70 percent of the Gaza’s housing units, according to the UN.
Since October 7, at least 27,131 Palestinians, primarily women and children, have been killed and more than 66,000 others injured.
