The Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo (Flemish liberal) has told VRT News that he is "very sorry" that that hostilities have resumed in Gaza after the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas expired on Friday morning.
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Belgian PM “very sorry” that ceasefire has come to an end
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The Israelis announced that their forces had resumed airstrikes on Gaza at 7:00am local time. The 7-day temporary ceasefire ended early on Friday morning without an agreement having been reached that would ensure a more lasting cessation of hosilities.
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) claimed that Hamas had breached the ceasefire by firing rockets into Israel and had also failed to provide a list of hostages intended for release. Meanwhile, Hamas says that Israel breached the ceasefire by refusing to allow fuel into northern Gaza.
Speaking on VRT Radio 1’s morning news and current affairs programme ‘De ochtend’ Mr De Croo repeated what he said last week while on the border between Egypt and Gaza. "I repeat what I said in Rafah: no more civilian casualties, and I hope people will do everything possible to achieve that."
Mr De Croo’s words last week resulted in a diplomatic row between Israel and Belgium. On Friday morning Mr De Croo told the VRT that the resumption of hostilities “Is very unfortunate". However, “The period of ceasefire did last longer than expected and many hostages and prisoners were released."
The conflict between Israel and Hamas is a major source for discussion among the world leaders that are attending the COP28 climate conference in Dubai. Mr De Croo, who is also at the conference’ told VRT News that "I hope that everything is being done to end the conflict, but the fact that violence has resumed is not a good thing”.