Brussels: As Israel escalates its military operations in the Gaza Strip, European leaders are increasingly voicing alarm over the deteriorating humanitarian crisis. They have urged Israel to "reverse its current policy" and called for immediate humanitarian intervention.
On Saturday, European Council President Antonio Costa expressed his shock on social media, demanding an end to the violence. He urged the Israeli government to lift the blockade and ensure safe, swift, and unhindered access to humanitarian aid, according to the Xinhua news agency.
"What's happening in Gaza is a humanitarian tragedy. A whole people is being subjected to crushing, disproportionate military force. International law is systematically violated," Costa said. He emphasised the urgency of a sustained ceasefire and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.
Norway, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Slovenia, and Spain made a similar stance in a joint statement issued on Friday. "We will not be silent in front of the man-made humanitarian catastrophe that is taking place before our eyes in Gaza," the statement read.
Emphasising the devastating toll of over 50,000 deaths, the countries cautioned that without urgent intervention, many more could face starvation in the coming days and weeks. They urged the Israeli government to "immediately reverse its current policy", fully lift the blockade, and ensure swift, unrestricted humanitarian access across Gaza.
Speaking at the 34th Arab League Summit in Baghdad on Saturday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called for international pressure to stop what he termed Israel's "massacre in Gaza". He said Madrid plans a UN resolution requesting a world court ruling on aid access to Gaza.
World leaders should "intensify our pressure on Israel to halt the massacre in Gaza, particularly through the channels afforded to us by international law," Sanchez said, emphasising that the implementation of the two-state solution is the only path to peace.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani also criticised Israel's action. On Saturday, he reaffirmed Italy's commitment to a ceasefire and a two-state solution. "It is time to finally get to the ceasefire because the civilian population is exhausted; it can no longer resist continuous attacks," he added.
Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp has called for an EU investigation into Israel’s compliance with the EU-Israel Association Agreement, citing serious violations by Israeli forces.
EU foreign ministers are scheduled to meet on May 20 to discuss the Dutch proposal, which seeks a broader review of EU-Israel relations in light of Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Since Israel resumed its intensified military campaign on March 18, at least 3,131 Palestinians have been killed and 8,632 injured, bringing the overall death toll in Gaza since the war began in October 2023 to 53,272, with 120,673 people injured, according to health authorities in Gaza.
According to Tom Fletcher, the UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, who also urged a "rapid, safe, unimpeded aid delivery for civilians in need" in Gaza, some 160,000 pallets of humanitarian goods were ready for distribution in Gaza; however, alongside the military escalation, Israel has blocked the entry of humanitarian aid into the enclave.
(inputs from IANS)