Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis emphasized on Wednesday the need for Europe to host children who are injured and traumatized by the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Speaking to Al-Hurra, Gerapetritis is seeking partners for a project aimed at temporarily relocating these children to the European Union. He discussed this initiative with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh earlier this week.
“We need to address this tragedy with utmost clarity,” Gerapetritis stated. “Europe must be open to receiving those injured from Gaza, as well as children who are now facing starvation or other forms of peril.”
This month, Greece was elected to the United Nations Security Council for the term 2025-2026.
Gerapetritis believes Greece’s historical ties with the Arab world lend it credibility to act as a peace mediator. While he did not specify the number of individuals Greece or the EU might host, he noted that discussions are ongoing with Palestinian authorities.
The Greek official stressed that this initiative is separate from regular migration, a politically sensitive issue in Europe, especially amid the rising influence of the right-wing factions.
“This is a clear appeal for humanitarian aid. We are not discussing economic migration or any other forms of irregular migration,” he clarified. His comments come shortly after the European Parliament elections, which saw a surge in far-right support.
The psychological impact of the war on children is “immense,” Gerapetritis said. He revealed that he had spoken with both the Palestinian and Israeli Prime Ministers about possible ways to achieve a peace agreement and rebuild Gaza.
“We must not wait for the war to end before we start discussing this,” he urged. “It will be a massive project, and we must work on it as much as possible.”
The Greek minister expressed cautious optimism that alongside a ceasefire, which he hopes will be reached soon, the situation in the Red Sea could significantly improve.
“I am relatively optimistic that with the ceasefire, the conditions could become much better,” he concluded.
