ATHENS: Europe has a duty to welcome children injured and traumatized by the war in Gaza for as long as possible conflict lasts, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece George Gerapetritis told Reuters on Wednesday.
Gerapetritis is looking for partners for the project, which he believes will be a fleeting way to bring children to the EU, and said he discussed the idea with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa this week.
“We must face this tragedy very clearly,” Gerapetritis said. “Europe should be open to the injured people of (Gaza), but also to the children who are currently facing hunger or other dangers.”
Greece was elected to the UN Security Council for 2025-2026 earlier this month, and Gerapetritis believes the country’s historical ties with the Arab world give it credibility to act as a peace broker.
The 56-year-old, who has held the position for a year, did not say how many people Greece or the EU could accept, but said the issue was being discussed with Palestinian authorities.
Gerapetritis emphasized that the initiative was not related to legal migration, which has become politically sensitive in Europe and is fiercely opposed by the resurgent right.
“It’s an obvious call humanitarian relief. We are not talking about economic migrants or other types of illegal migration,” he said, days after a keen escalate in the number of far-right parties in the European Parliament elections.
Greece condemned the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas militants but called for an end to Israel’s ground and air attack on Gaza, which Palestinian authorities say has killed more than 35,000 people and razed entire cities.
WHO says many people in Gaza are struggling with famine-like conditions, and more than 8,000 children under five years of age suffer from acute malnutrition.
Moreover, the psychological impact of war on children is “enormous,” Gerapetritis said.
Gerapetritis said he spoke this week with the prime ministers of Palestine and Israel on ways to seal peace and rebuild Gaza.
“We shouldn’t wait… until the war is over to start discussing it,” he said. “This will be a gigantic project and we need to get it in place as early as possible,” he said.
A ceasefire in Gaza would also lend a hand reduce attacks on ships by Iran-backed Houthi militants in the Red Sea, which have affected the Greek shipping sector.
“I am relatively confident that with the ceasefire that we hope to achieve in the near future, the situation in the Red Sea will also improve significantly,” Gerapetritis said.
Gerapetritis is looking for partners for the project, which he believes will be a fleeting way to bring children to the EU, and said he discussed the idea with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa this week.
“We must face this tragedy very clearly,” Gerapetritis said. “Europe should be open to the injured people of (Gaza), but also to the children who are currently facing hunger or other dangers.”
Greece was elected to the UN Security Council for 2025-2026 earlier this month, and Gerapetritis believes the country’s historical ties with the Arab world give it credibility to act as a peace broker.
The 56-year-old, who has held the position for a year, did not say how many people Greece or the EU could accept, but said the issue was being discussed with Palestinian authorities.
Gerapetritis emphasized that the initiative was not related to legal migration, which has become politically sensitive in Europe and is fiercely opposed by the resurgent right.
“It’s an obvious call humanitarian relief. We are not talking about economic migrants or other types of illegal migration,” he said, days after a keen escalate in the number of far-right parties in the European Parliament elections.
Greece condemned the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas militants but called for an end to Israel’s ground and air attack on Gaza, which Palestinian authorities say has killed more than 35,000 people and razed entire cities.
WHO says many people in Gaza are struggling with famine-like conditions, and more than 8,000 children under five years of age suffer from acute malnutrition.
Moreover, the psychological impact of war on children is “enormous,” Gerapetritis said.
Gerapetritis said he spoke this week with the prime ministers of Palestine and Israel on ways to seal peace and rebuild Gaza.
“We shouldn’t wait… until the war is over to start discussing it,” he said. “This will be a gigantic project and we need to get it in place as early as possible,” he said.
A ceasefire in Gaza would also lend a hand reduce attacks on ships by Iran-backed Houthi militants in the Red Sea, which have affected the Greek shipping sector.
“I am relatively confident that with the ceasefire that we hope to achieve in the near future, the situation in the Red Sea will also improve significantly,” Gerapetritis said.
