CAIRO, 29 Nov. - (ANA) - Israel has blocked an EU commissioner from entering the Gaza Strip, halting her attempt to witness the humanitarian crisis from inside the enclave.

 

Hadja Lahbib, the EU Commissioner for Equality and Acting Commissioner for Crisis Management, said on Friday that she had sought permission to cross through Rafah during her trip to Egypt, but Israel refused.

 

She said the decision prevented her from observing the situation "firsthand" at a moment when Palestinians were being killed daily despite the declared ceasefire.

 

Lahbib noted that hundreds of Palestinians have been killed since the pause in fighting began, including children, and described Gaza as a graveyard where civilians and aid workers are being left to die.

 

Around 600 humanitarian workers have been killed, she said, in what she called the most dangerous place in the world for relief staff.

 

With winter closing in, she warned that families have no shelter, no heating and no safety, urging the international community to confront the consequences of Israel's continued restrictions.

 

She criticised Israel for slowing down aid deliveries and for blocking basic items such as tents and sleeping bags under "dual use" claims, calling the policy unacceptable.

 

Lahbib said the limited aid reaching Gaza is nowhere near enough and pressed Israel to stop obstructing NGOs. She added that the ceasefire must be respected fully and that international law is the only route to protecting civilians.

 

She also said Gaza must be allowed to move beyond survival, calling for efforts to rebuild homes and schools destroyed by Israel’s bombardment.

 

During her visit to Egypt, Lahbib toured aid warehouses in El Arish and visited a hospital treating patients evacuated from Gaza.   - (ANA) -

 

AB/ANA/29 November 2025 - - -