`` We think the attack is completely unacceptable and strongly condemn the fact that civilians were hit while sheltering themselves from the violence , '' said Cristina Gallach , spokesperson of EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana .
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`` think attack completely unacceptable strongly condemn fact civilian hit shelter violence say cristina gallach spokesperson eu foreign policy chief javier solana
`` We think the attack is completely unacceptable and strongly condemn the fact that civilians were <m> hit </m> while sheltering themselves from the violence , '' said Cristina Gallach , spokesperson of EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana .
Brussels condemns Israeli bombing of UN school
Pressure to obtain a ceasefire in Gaza has been mounting , with the EU warning Israel it was `` destroying '' its image , while Israeli forces on Tuesday ( 6 January ) killed at least 40 people during an attack on a United Nations-run school in Gaza .
The Israeli attack on the Fakhora school in the northern town of Jabaliya , which also wounded around 100 people , was the deadliest single strike of the offensive so far and the third UN school to come under fire within 24 hours .
The bombing has drawn international condemnation , with the EU calling it `` completely unacceptable . ''
`` We think the attack is completely unacceptable and strongly condemn the fact that civilians were <m> hit </m> while sheltering themselves from the violence , '' said Cristina Gallach , spokesperson of EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana .
John Ging , the head of the UN Relief and Works agency , through which most EU aid to Gaza is distributed alongside the Red Cross and Red Crescent condemned the attack as `` horrific '' and suggested Israel knew it was targetting a UN facility .
`` We have provided the GPS co-ordinates of every single one of our locations , '' he told the BBC .
`` They are clearly marked with UN insignia , flags flying , lights shining on the flags at night .
It 's very clear that these are United Nations installations . ''
The Israeli military however argued Hamas fighters had fired mortar shells at their forces from the school and they had to return fire .
In the aftermath of the school attack , Tel Aviv decided to allow the establishment of a `` humanitarian corridor '' into the Gaza Strip , premier Ehud Olmert 's office said last night .
Christopher Gunness , spokesman for the UN Relief and Works Agency ( UNRWA ) described the situation on the ground to the EUobserver .
Some 1 million Gazans are currently without electricity , another 250,000 are without running water , and every hospital is running on emergency generators .
UNRWA hands out food to 750,000 people daily , but Mr Gunness warned that they will run out of food `` in days , rather than weeks '' , and there was no food distribution on Tuesday at all .
Tzipi Livni , the Israeli foreign minister said several times last week that there is no humanitarian crisis in the occupied territory , and the Israeli ambassador to the EU yesterday told this website that Ms Livni had explained to the EU peace delegation on Monday:
`` Everything is being done and will be done to avoid a humanitarian crisis . ''
The UN 's Mr Gunness disagreed with the minister:
`` There is a humanitarian crisis already , so she 's not managed to avoid one . ''
`` It 's impossible to do our jobs. The reason we had to cancel food distribution today is because our trucking contractor had two relatives killed by the Israelis .
There was a wake organised but then that was attacked too .
It 's just too dangerous for them to be driving around . ''
`` During the period of relative calm of about five-six months following the 19 July truce , we regularly asked to get aid in , but Israel did n't give permission . ''
On 19 June 2008 , a six-month Egypt-brokered truce agreement was reached between Hamas and Israel .
Tel Aviv however broke the cease-fire on 4 November 2008 , when Israeli troops raided the Gaza Strip and killed six Hamas gunmen .
At the time , Israel claimed Hamas was planning to use a tunnel to capture Israeli soldiers .
The truce completely broke down on 20 December , when Hamas officially announced that they would not be extending the cease-fire , and began launching rockets targetting southern Israel once again .
Meanwhile , Egypt has put forward a truce plan that would include an immediate ceasefire , as well as meetings in Cairo between leaders of Israel and `` Palestinian factions , '' news wires report .
Details of the proposal are not known yet , but its main focus is to halt the violence and secure borders between Gaza and Israel , as well as Gaza and Egypt - so as to limit arms smuggling from Egypt into the Gaza Strip .
According to the BBC , both Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and the US have backed the proposal .
Israel has said it would look into the suggestion .
`` I am very sure it will be considered ... we take it very , very seriously , '' Gabriela Shalev , Israel 's ambassador to the UN , was quoted as saying by Reuters .
More than 600 Palestinians have been killed so far in the 12 days of the Israeli offensive into Gaza , and around 3,000 have been wounded .
Palestinian health ministry officials say at least 195 of the victims are children .
Israel has so far lost seven soldiers and four civilians in the conflict .
The EU has also warned Israel that the offensive was tarnishing its image , German news agency DPA reports .
`` We have come to Israel in order to advance the initiative for a humanitarian ceasefire and I will tell you , Mr President , that you have a serious problem with international advocacy , and that Israel 's image is being destroyed , '' EU foreign affairs commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner told Israeli President Shimon Peres during the visit of an EU delegation in the region .
But Mr Peres retorted that Israel was fighting other wars and a public image one was not among them .
`` Europe must open its eyes .
We are not in the business of public relations or improving our image .
We are fighting against terror , and we have every right to defend our citizens , '' he told an EU ministerial delegation , AFP reports .