BRUSSELS – President of the European Council, António Costa, stated today that the conditions in Gaza are “intolerable,” echoing the remarks of the President of the European Commission, who urged Israel to “stop now.”
In a social media post, the leader of the institution representing EU heads of Government and State emphasized the severity of the situation in Gaza.
This statement coincided with reports of 21 children dying from malnutrition and hunger in the Gaza Strip within the last 72 hours. Alongside Costa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also condemned the humanitarian crisis affecting the region.
“Civilians in Gaza have endured too much for far too long. This needs to end immediately. Israel must uphold its commitments,” asserted the leader of the EU’s executive body.
Ursula von der Leyen stressed that “civilians must never be targets.”
“The images emerging from Gaza are unbearable. The EU reaffirms its demand for a free, safe, and prompt flow of humanitarian aid and calls for complete adherence to international and humanitarian law,” she concluded.
Ursula von der Leyen has faced significant backlash for her stance on the Gaza conflict, particularly for her initial perceived bias and silence regarding alleged violations of international law by Israel.
Today, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas declared that the killings by the Israeli army against Palestinians seeking food are “indefensible,” asserting that “all options are on the table” if Israel fails to meet its obligations.
This statement comes as over 59,000 fatalities have been reported since the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas in October 2023.
Approximately 470,000 individuals are also at risk of severe hunger, with numerous civilians reported killed while waiting for humanitarian assistance in recent weeks.
As the conflict marks 21 months, negotiations for a ceasefire are ongoing between Qatar, the United States, and Egypt.
Two weeks ago, the EU reached an agreement with Israel to enhance humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip, facilitating more crossing points and truck deliveries of food.
Earlier, at the European summit in late June, EU leaders expressed deep concern over the “terrible humanitarian situation” in Gaza, attributing the crisis to Israeli actions and deeming “unacceptable” the high number of civilian casualties and the famine levels caused by the blockade on aid deliveries to the Palestinian enclave. (22/07/25)
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