“I strongly urge the Israeli government to reconsider its decision,” Costa, who heads the body representing the bloc’s 27 states, wrote on X.
“I strongly urge the Israeli government to reconsider its decision,” Costa, who heads the body representing the bloc’s 27 states, wrote on X.
“Such a decision must have consequences for EU-Israel relations, to be assessed by the Council”, made up of the leaders of the European Union member states, he said.
“The situation in Gaza remains dramatic, and the decision by the Israeli government will only further worsen it,” Costa added.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also called on Israel on Friday to reverse its plan for the Palestinian territory.
“The Israeli government’s decision to further extend its military operation in Gaza must be reconsidered,” she said on X.
She also urged the release of all hostages held by militants in Gaza and “immediate and unhindered access” to humanitarian aid in the territory. “A ceasefire is needed now,” von der Leyen said.
The bloc has struggled to take action over the conflict in Gaza as it is split between staunch supporters of Israel — like Germany — and those who defend the Palestinians, such as Spain.
The EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas last month put forward a raft of options to punish Israel after it was found guilty of breaching a cooperation deal with the EU on human rights grounds.
Brussels has since proposed suspending Israel’s access to EU funding for tech start-ups, a move that member states have yet to approve.
The European Union also struck a deal last month to increase aid access to Gaza, but senior officials have said that it has been only partially implemented.
Germany on Friday dramatically changed course when it said that it would halt the export of military equipment to Israel which could be used in the Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, Belgium announced on the same day that it was summoning the Israeli ambassador to express its “total disapproval” of Israel’s plans to take military control of Gaza.
The tone appears also to be shifting in Brussels.
Commission vice president Teresa Ribera said Israel’s approach “looks very much” like a genocide, in comments to the news site Politico published on Thursday, referring to people starving, displaced and killed in Gaza.
That came after three political groups in the European Parliament — the Socialists, Greens, and the Left — wrote to the EU chiefs and Kallas in a letter dated Tuesday saying: “There is clear evidence that a genocide is being committed in Gaza,” and demanded action.
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