An EU delegation visited the Deir al-Balah desalination plant in Gaza on Wednesday 24 November.

Twenty ambassadors and other country representatives arrived in Gaza via the Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing.

Sven Kühn von Burgsdorff, head of the European Union’s mission to the West Bank and Gaza Strip spoke during the group's visit.

Shadi Othman, spokesman for the EU's office in Jerusalem, told the WAFA news agency that it was the largest EU diplomatic delegation to visit the Gaza Strip at one time.

The purpose of this two-day visit, he said, is to see firsthand the developments in Gaza and to send a political message that it is important to lift the blockade imposed by Israel since 2005, end the intra-Palestinian division and achieve unity in a way that would allow the Palestinian government to fully carry out its duties in the Gaza Strip.

The delegation is going to meet with representatives of various sectors to hear from them about the current situation, and will also include visits to strawberry farms, to Rafah crossing with Egypt, and Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) commercial crossing with Israel, as well as a port.

RESTRICTION SUMMARY: Gaza - 24 November 2021. Delegation of ambassadors of the European Union countries visit a desalination plant in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip

0.1 SOUNDBITE (in Arabic) Sven Kühn von Burgsdorff, European Union Representative

STORYLINE:

A delegation of 20 European diplomats arrived this morning in the besieged Gaza Strip to inspect the situation there.

Shadi Othman, the spokesman for the European Union office in Jerusalem, told WAFA that this is the largest European diplomatic delegation to visit the Gaza Strip at one time.

The purpose of this two-day visit, he said, is to see firsthand the developments in Gaza and to send a political message that it is important to lift the blockade imposed by Israel since 2005, end the intra-Palestinian division and achieve unity in a way that would allow the Palestinian government to fully carry out its duties in the Gaza Strip.

The delegation is going to meet with representatives of various sectors to hear from them about the latest developments in the Gaza Strip and the current situation and will include a visit to strawberry farms in Beit Lahiya and Sudaniyeh neighborhoods in the north of the Gaza Strip and a meeting with the producers, a visit to the water desalination plant in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, and a visit to Rafah crossing with Egypt and Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) commercial crossing with Israel, as well as the fishermen port, said Shadi Othman, the spokesman for the European Union office in Jerusalem.


Footage by APAwire