Germany To Consult On Sending Contingent To EU

Germany’s interior and foreign ministries are in consultations about sending a German contingent to the European Union’s civilian mission to monitor the border crossing between Gaza and Egypt at Rafah, spokespeople in Berlin said.

“We are in good consultations with the foreign ministry,” said an interior ministry spokesperson at a regular government news conference.

“These missions always start with a ramp-up to see how great the need is and how many people are required,” added the spokesperson.

The foreign ministry spokesperson said general conditions and ensuring the contingent would be deployed safely had to be taken into consideration.

The EU’s foreign policy chief said on Monday that the bloc would restart a civilian mission to monitor the border crossing.

Italy’s foreign and defence ministries have announced that Rome will send seven Carabinieri officers to join the Rafah mission, and they added that Spanish Guardia Civil officers and French gendarmes will also join the international force.

REUTERS/Christopher Ojilere