By Muhammad Sohail
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic considers the decision of the Israeli government’s security cabinet to occupy Gaza City to be a risky step. At the same time, however, we cannot ignore the fact that the continuation of the conflict is primarily due to the fact that parts of the Gaza Strip, including the densely populated Gaza City area, continue to be controlled by Hamas terrorists, who are holding Israeli hostages in inhumane conditions. We trust that Israel will take all necessary steps to protect civilians when planning and conducting military operations and will act in accordance with international law.
The Czech Republic fully supports the agreement between the EU and Israel to improve the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, announced by EU High Representative Kaja Kallas on 10 July. The agreement includes an increase in the number of trucks carrying humanitarian aid, the opening of additional border crossings and the reopening of aid distribution routes, including the protection of aid workers and civilian beneficiaries. It represents a key step towards alleviating the critical situation and Israel has already started to implement it.
Since the beginning of 2025, the Czech Republic has provided humanitarian aid worth CZK 26 million to the Gaza Strip. This mainly concerns urgent food and nutritional aid and supplies of drinking water. Another CZK 15 million is allocated this year for ongoing projects in the West Bank, with an emphasis on access to healthcare. The total value of aid to Palestinians this year thus exceeds CZK 41 million.
The Czech Republic is actively promoting the opening of additional humanitarian corridors to ensure that aid reaches civilians in dire need. We emphasize that aid must be delivered safely and directly to civilians in the Gaza Strip in order to truly fulfill its purpose.
At the same time, we strongly insist that humanitarian aid must not be misused by the terrorist movement Hamas, which could jeopardize its distribution and use it to strengthen its positions. We call for the cooperation of all actors on the ground to ensure rapid and safe support for the people of Gaza. The presence of independent media would contribute to an objective assessment of the real situation on the ground.
The Czech Republic continues to support efforts for such an agreement that would lead to the release of hostages held by Hamas. We emphasize that this step can end the crisis immediately for Hamas.
A two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the only possible path to long-term peaceful coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians. But this can only be achieved through direct negotiations between the two sides, which will not be possible as long as the Gaza Strip is controlled by Hamas terrorists.
