Meet PM Shtayyeh In Ramallah, EU Head Of Foreign Policy: Gaza Must Stay Under Palestinian Control

Josep Borrell with Palestinian Prime Minister Shtayyeh. (Twitter/@JosepBorellF)

JAKARTA - EU main diplomat Josep Borrell said Palestinians must continue to live in Gaza under the Palestinian Authority strengthened after the Israel-Hamas war, during a visit to the region on Friday.

"There will be no forced expulsion of Palestinians out of Gaza, no territorial changes, no re-invasion by Israel or a safe place for Hamas," said EU Head of Foreign Policy Borrell, in a joint press statement with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh in Ramallah. November 17th.

Pointing at Shtayyeh, Borrell said the Palestinian Authority should return to Gaza.

"Maybe you need support from the international community, but the Palestinian Authority should return to Gaza," he explained.

It is known that Borrell was traveling four days to the Middle East. On Thursday, he arrived in Israel, with the next stop being Palestine, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Jordan.

Meanwhile, PM Shtayyeh said he strongly agrees with the EU's proposal.

"We need to keep Palestinians in their territory," he said, referring to the fact that 65 percent of Gaza's population has become refugees.

On that occasion, he also asked the European Union to call for an "immediate ceasefire" to provide food, fuel and shelter for Gaza's population. So far, the European Union has asked for a humanitarian pause, but not a ceasefire.

PM Shtayyeh expressed regret that Borrell could not visit Gaza.

"I know you've visited certain areas in Israel and you've seen what you've seen," he said.

"It's a shame you don't see Gaza. It's a shame you don't see 33,000 Palestinians injured and 12,000 Palestinians killed, 5,421 of whom are children," he said.