Cyprus ‘will make every attempt to deescalate the situation in Israel’ (update)

Cyprus will make every attempt to deescalate the situation in Israel, President Nikos Christodoulides said on Tuesday, adding that he condemns the terrorist attacks by Palestinian extremist organisation Hamas against Israel.

In a written statement issued after an EU Council teleconference on the situation, Christodoulides said that Cyprus has already taken on an active role aiding the evacuation of foreign nationals from more than 26 countries, following Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel.

He added that there is a need to avoid further civilian deaths on all sides, and that the crisis needs to deescalate.

“A decisive element would be the unconditional release of all hostages,” he said.

Since violence erupted on Saturday, October 7, Hamas has taken scores of Israeli hostages, while Israel has begun an air strike campaign against the organisation in Gaza.

Christodoulides said that Cyprus, as the nearest EU member state, and as a state that has excellent relations with the countries in the area, will make every attempt, in the framework of its abilities, to work for a de-escalation of the crisis and secure peace in the region.

He added that the EU should be much more active and more substantial, a position he has repeatedly expressed in previous European Councils in relation to the Middle East.

Christodoulides also referred to the important humanitarian role Cyprus is playing in this crisis, noting that so far authorities have responded to numerous requests from third countries, contributing to the evacuation of citizens from 26 countries.

At the same time, he conveyed Cyprus’ readiness to provide humanitarian aid in the region, including Gaza, taking advantage of the geographical proximity, but also the status as an EU member state.

“The close and continuous cooperation with the states of the region, mainly with Egypt, with Jordan, but also with the United Nations, in the common effort to avoid further escalation of the crisis, is imperative,” he said.

In this context, the president referred to the continuous communications he had with leaders of the countries of the region, during which they exchanged views on the actions that can be jointly undertaken.

He added that he had telephone calls with regional leaders and conveyed messages from the Prime Minister of Israel, the King of Jordan, and the President of Egypt to the European leaders.

In relation to Tuesday’s long telephone conversation with the President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Christodoulides emphasized the need for support for Egypt from the European Union, as a country of critical importance for the wider region.

Finally, the president emphasised to European partners that the recent flare-up is tangible proof of the importance of the Southern Neighbourhood for the peace and security of the EU itself and the consequent need for a more regular and methodical engagement with the region.

Meanwhile, European Council President Charles Michel, responding to a reported Israeli strike on a Gaza hospital, said that attacks on civilian infrastructure were not in line with international law.

After an emergency video conference of European Union leaders, Michel said the report “seems to be confirmed” and added: “An attack against civilian infrastructure is not in line with international law.”

Authorities in Gaza said an Israeli air strike killed at least 300 people at Al-Ahli al-Arabi Hospital in Gaza City on Tuesday.

Israel’s military said it was “still ironing out all the details” on reports of strikes on the hospital and a school.

Prior to the meeting Christodoulides said that the EU had been slow to react, and it had taken days to organise a meeting of all of its leaders.

The meeting, which started with a minute of silence, was called by EC president Charles Michel to coordinate between member states in the delivery of humanitarian aid, preventing the spread of hostilities and returning to efforts for sustainable peace, in addition to the possibility of new refugee flows.

A source said the reason why there was no earlier meeting of the leaders as it was considered that the Foreign Affairs Council, which met informally via video conference and physical presence in Oman, had set the EU’s priorities, but what was agreed was not respected.

An official also said that for member states the condemnation of Hamas is a given, but so is the separation between Hamas and the civilian population, as well as the separation of humanitarian aid from development aid.