RAMALLAH, Monday, October 23, 2023 (WAFA) – President Mahmoud Abbas and the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen discussed today the latest developments in the Palestinian arena and the ongoing efforts to stop the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people.

During a phone conversation, they also tackled the ongoing efforts to spare civilians from the scourge of war, and the importance of delivering medical and food supplies as well as water and electricity to the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip as quickly as possible.

“We are against the killing of civilians on both sides, and we are against targeting civilians in hospitals,” said President Abbas, adding that targeting the Orthodox Church and demolishing buildings with people inside are brutal crimes that cannot be tolerated.

The President stressed Palestine's categorical rejection of the displacement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, or Jerusalem.

President Abbas stressed the necessity of implementing a political solution based on international legitimacy in order for the Palestinian people to gain their freedom, independence and sovereignty, which guarantees security and stability for all in the region.

The President expressed his thanks for the European Union's positions in supporting the two-state solution on the basis of international law, stressing his appreciation for the assistance that the European Union provides to the Palestinian people to build their institutions, as well as for the humanitarian aid intended to be provided.

For her part, the President of the European Commission affirmed the European Union's continued position in support of the two-state solution, and that humanitarian aid will be increased in these difficult circumstances.

A.D./T.R.