(6 Mar 2024) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ASSOCIATED PRESS Jerusalem - 6 March 2024 1. Various of Janez Lenarčič, EU Commissioner for Crisis Management, during briefing 2. SOUNDBITE (English) Janez Lenarčič, EU Commissioner for Crisis Management: “We very much welcome the Cypriot initiative. We welcome every, every possible route for the provision of humanitarian aid. There are some challenges with regard to the maritime corridor that need to be addressed, namely, the drop-off point or unloading point in Gaza where there is at the moment no port facility. There is also the need to ensure receiving structure because our humanitarian partners consistently point out to the need to ensure proper reception and distribution of humanitarian aid. The scenes that you were able to see with regards to crowds of hungry people running after parachutes falling on the ground -- this is not the proper way of handling, receiving and distributing aid.” 4. Wide of a reporter raising hand to ask question 5. Mid of Lenarčič listening to question 6. SOUNDBITE (English) Janez Lenarčič, EU Commissioner for Crisis Management: “We are trying to support the airdrops although these air drops, as you know, are not a very efficient way of distributing humanitarian aid. And we’ll never be able to ensure sufficient quantity of humanitarian aid that is needed. We also support the opening of maritime corridor. But there is a very handy solution, a solution at hand that can be provided immediately and that is the opening of additional land crossings, especially to the north of Gaza.” 7. Mid of journalist asking question 8. SOUNDBITE (English) Janez Lenarčič, EU Commissioner for Crisis Management: “But we believe that these investigations must be thoroughly investigated and acted upon, the findings of (these) investigations. For the time being, UNRWA in our view has responded properly to these allegations. We have been discussing with UNRWA about various measures that need to be taken. In particular, we expect full cooperation of UNRWA but also of Israel with the ongoing investigation launched by the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services.” 9. Close of European Union flag STORYLINE: A European Union official on Wednesday issued calls for land crossings to be opened in Gaza to allow much needed aid to cross into the enclave. Speaking to reporters during a briefing in Jerusalem, Janez Lenarčič, EU Commissioner for Crisis Management, said the bloc was trying to support the recent air drops of aid to people in the Strip but stressed these were "not the proper way of handling, receiving and distributing aid". "These air drops, as you know, are not a very efficient way of distributing humanitarian aid. And we’ll never be able to ensure sufficient quantity of humanitarian aid that is needed." He said the EU supported a maritime corridor proposed by Cyprus but outlined there was also another "immediate" solution that would get aid to those in need. "There is a very handy solution, a solution at hand that can be provided immediately and that is the opening of additional land crossings, especially to the north of Gaza,” he said. On Wednesday the World Food Programme's Director of Emergency, Samer Abdel Jaber, issued similar calls to open the crossings. The nearly five months of fighting between Israel and Hamas has left much of Gaza in ruins and created a worsening humanitarian catastrophe, with many, especially in the devastated northern region, scrambling for food to survive. More than 100 of them were released during a weeklong cease-fire in November. AP video shot by: Sam McNeil Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives ​​ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/c8c82332088a4060950baddeed926ca0