Key facts
- EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called on Israel to protect civilians in Gaza as severe flooding batters the enclave.
- Kallas said an airstrike on the Nasser Hospital on Thursday was "deeply alarming."
- Kallas urged Israel to allow the UN and aid groups unimpeded access and to reopen all border crossings into Gaza.
- Israel denies breaching international law and blocking humanitarian aid, the report said.
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel supports winter preparedness in Gaza but would not let Hamas exploit aid supplies.
- Israel's Foreign Affairs Minister Gideon Sa'ar severed ties with Kallas in June after a media report alleged she compared Israel to apartheid South Africa.
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called on Israel on Saturday to protect civilians in Gaza, saying severe flooding had worsened living conditions and that an airstrike on the Nasser Hospital on Thursday was "deeply alarming." The statement was published on November 14, 2026.
"The severe flooding and winter conditions that have struck Gaza are further aggravating the living conditions of an already exhausted population, exacerbating unsafe conditions and human suffering," Kallas said in the statement. She also urged Israel to comply with international law, allow the United Nations and humanitarian organizations unimpeded access, and reopen all border crossings into Gaza.
Kallas said that a year after a ceasefire was announced, military strikes continue and shortages of shelter, medicine and medical equipment persist because of access restrictions, leaving no acceptable living conditions. Israel denies breaching international law or blocking aid. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was supporting winter preparedness in Gaza but would not let Hamas exploit humanitarian supplies.
Israel's Foreign Affairs Minister Gideon Sa'ar severed ties with Kallas in June after a media report alleged she compared Israel to apartheid South Africa. Kallas has backed efforts by several member countries to press the European Commission to ban trade with territories the report describes as illegally occupied by Israel. Israel's mission to the EU was reached for comment.