Former EU High Representative Josep Borrell accused European institutions of failing to address lethal violence by US security contractors at aid distribution sites in Gaza, according to Politico.
In a social media post on Thursday, Borrell revealed that 550 Palestinians had been killed while attempting to access food at facilities operated by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
“In just one month, US mercenaries have killed 550 Palestinians who were trying to get food at the distribution points designated by the so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. This is horrifying, yet the @EU_Commission and @EUCouncil still haven’t taken any action against these criminal acts,” Borrell wrote on X.
The GHF, established after Israel partially relaxed its three-month Gaza blockade, faced international condemnation for its security protocols. Israeli forces and US contractors overseeing security at four distribution sites reportedly used live ammunition and stun grenades against civilians scrambling for food, according to Associated Press footage and eyewitness accounts.
Gaza authorities confirm at least 549 fatalities and 4,000 injuries since GHF operations commenced on 27 May.
Simultaneously, UN Secretary-General António Guterres denounced the foundation’s framework as “inherently unsafe” in late June, starkly concluding that “it is killing people.”
The criticism aligns with appeals from 170 NGOs demanding GHFs closure. Switzerland escalated pressure by dissolving the foundation’s Geneva branch on Wednesday.
However, Israel maintains its forces do not deliberately target civilians. Borrell’s successor, Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas, initially adopted a pragmatic stance towards Israel but hardened her stance on 18 June, declaring “enough is enough” following Israel’s obstruction of humanitarian aid.
This shift catalysed the EU’s unprecedented decision to review the EU-Israel Association Agreement, a treaty binding trade privileges to human rights compliance under Article 2.
The review, formally requested by the Netherlands and backed by 16 member states, examines Israel’s alleged breaches of humanitarian law through Gaza operations and aid restrictions. Over 120 human rights organisations now demand the agreement’s suspension, arguing Israel’s alleged “atrocity crimes” render the EU complicit through inaction.
