Israel has a right to defend itself. And Hamas should immediately release the remaining hostages. But Israel’s use of force in Gaza, the continuing deaths of civilians, and the targeting of civilian infrastructure go beyond self-defence.  Israel’s actions cannot be justified under humanitarian and international law.  At the last Foreign Affairs Council in May, it was clear that a majority of Member States were in favour of opening a review of Israel’s compliance with Article 2 of our Association Agreement. This review is now underway and I will present the outcome to the Foreign Ministers on Monday. 

At the same time, the EU continues to work on all fronts to provide support to the Palestinian people: 

• We are still the largest international donor by far.  
• Our humanitarian funding for this year alone is 170 million euro.   
• And since October 2023, the EU has helped transport close to five thousand tonnes of humanitarian cargo into Gaza. 

The Middle East is burning. Military aggression is unrelenting. And the anger seems to be unstoppable. The short-term consequences of fire between Israel and Iran could delay Iran’s nuclear efforts. But there is no certainty that Israel will get what it seeks in this way.  Likewise in Gaza, it is perfectly clear for all to see that military means will not provide the solace that the Israeli people are looking for. It has not resulted in the liberation of hostages. And it has now  endangered the entire population of Gaza, causing unjustified human suffering. The European Union must do everything we can to push for diplomacy, meet humanitarian needs where we can, and stand up for the values we were built on.