GENEVA, June 16. /TASS/. The humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders accused the EU and leaders of the bloc’s member countries of hypocrisy and inaction in connection with what it called the "massacre" of Palestinians in Gaza.

"The hypocrisy and inaction of the European Union and its Member States have allowed Israel to freely continue its massacre of Palestinians in Gaza with total impunity," the group said in a statement.

Also known by its French name Medecins Sans Frontieres, the organization said its teams for more than 20 months witnessed "patterns consistent with genocide through deliberate actions by Israeli forces - including mass killings, the destruction of vital civilian infrastructure, and blockades choking off access to food, water, medicines, and other essential humanitarian supplies."

"The European Union and European governments have the political, economic and diplomatic means to exert real pressure on Israel to stop this assault," the statement said. "However, up to this point, the EU and its member states appear to have abdicated their political leadership to do so."

"Worse, recent statements European States have made, critical of how the war is being waged, highlights their hypocrisy as they continue to supply the weapons being used to kill, maim, and burn people who end up in our hospitals," the group went on to say.

According to the latest data from the Gaza Health Ministry, since Israel resumed hostilities in the enclave on March 18, the death toll in the area totaled 5,071, with the number of the wounded exceeding 16,700. The number of fatalities from Israeli aggression since October 7, 2023, has totaled 55,362, with 128,741 others sustaining injuries.

The IDF announced the start of Operation Gideon's Chariots in the northern and southern regions of the enclave on May 18. Its stated goal is the total defeat of Hamas and the release of all Israeli hostages from Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the operation aims to establish Israeli control of the entire Gaza.