Dutch PM Rutte in Israel to talk to Israeli prime minister, Palestinian president

Prime Minister Mark Rutte is in Israel on Monday to discuss the war with Hamas with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is also on the agenda during the one-day visit.

Rutte will plead with Netanyahu for restraint in the use of force. A major concern is that the conflict will escalate, and other countries and movements in the region will become involved in the fight. There are already skirmishes on the border with Lebanon.

Rutte will also argue for a sustainable humanitarian corridor for the densely populated Gaza to bring food, water, and fuel. Israel has cut off Gaza, which has over 2 million inhabitants, from the outside world. Foreigners must also be able to leave Gaza.

Israel is carrying out heavy bombardments on the Gaza Strip, resulting in many civilian casualties. On Sunday, it emerged that a 33-year-old Dutch woman who was stuck in the coastal strip with her family had been killed. Rutte called Netanyahu on Sunday to get more clarity about this, among other things.

According to Rutte, Israel must remove the threat from Hamas and free the over 200 hostages held by the militant movement. But, “Israel must do everything it can to prevent civilians from becoming victims of the fight against Hamas,” the outgoing Prime Minister said.

Heavy fighting has been happening for over two weeks. The violence flared up after an attack by Hamas, which is on the EU’s terrorist list, on Israel. Some 1,300 people have died in Israel. Over 4,600 people have been killed in Gaza, according to Hamas.

In recent days, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and United States President Joe Biden, among others, visited Israel. French President Emmanuel Macron will visit Netanyahu on Tuesday.