7 European Countries Denounce Israel's Actions amid Expanded Offensive in Gaza

Leaders

17-05-2025

Seven European countries have denounced Israel's war and blockade on Gaza, which have led to the death of more than 50,000 people and are pushing more towards starvation.
The criticism came as Israel announced it had begun the first stages of an expanded military offensive in Gaza to 'achieve the goals of the war and defeat Hamas.' European Concerns
In a joint statement on Friday, the leaders of Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Slovenia and Spain expressed concern over the humanitarian crisis in the Strip.
'We will not be silent in front of the man-made humanitarian catastrophe that is taking place before our eyes in Gaza,' the statement said.
'More than 50.000 men, women, and children have lost their lives. Many more could starve to death in the coming days and weeks unless immediate action is taken,' the European leaders warned. Urgent Call
The European leaders urged Israel to reverse its policies in Gaza, stop its military operations, and allow the entry of aid to end the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
'We call upon the government of Israel to immediately reverse its current policy, refrain from further military operations and fully lift the blockade, ensuring safe, rapid and unimpeded humanitarian aid to be distributed throughout the Gaza strip by international humanitarian actors and according to humanitarian principles,' the statement noted. Path towards Peace
The joint statement, singed by Kristrún Frostadóttir of Iceland, Micheál Martin of Ireland, Luc Frieden of Luxembourg, Robert Abela of Malta, Jonas Gahr Støre of Norway, Robert Golob of Slovenia, and Pedro Sánchez of Spain, urged parties to re-engage in ceasefire negotiations to advance a peace process based on the two-state solution.
'We call upon all parties to immediately engage with renewed urgency and good faith in negotiations on a ceasefire and the release of all hostages, and acknowledge the important role played by the United States, Egypt and Qatar in this regard,' it said.
'This is the basis upon which we can build a sustainable, just and comprehensive peace, based on the implementation of the two-State solution. We will continue to support the Palestinian people's right to self-determination, and work in the framework of the United Nations and with other actors, like the Arab League and Arab and Islamic States, to move forward to achieve a peaceful and sustainable solution,' the statement added.
The European leaders also condemned escalation and settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, as well as forced displacement of the Palestinian people. 'We reject any such plans or attempts at demographic change,' they said. Famine Threat
Israel has imposed a total blockade on the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza since March 2, 2025. The blockade has forced community kitchens to close due to the lack of supplies and the depletion of food stocks, exacerbating malnutrition and hunger.
Last week, the UN World Food Program (WFP) warned that the people of Gaza are at risk of famine. '470,000 people in Gaza are facing catastrophic hunger, and the entire population is experiencing acute food insecurity,' it noted.
The UN WFP's Executive Director, Cindy McCain, said: 'Families in Gaza are starving while the food they need is sitting at the border. We can't get it to them because of the renewed conflict and the total ban on humanitarian aid imposed in early March.'
According to the WFP, more than 116,000 metric tons of food assistance is already positioned in aid corridors, ready to be brought in. 'It's imperative that the international community acts urgently to get aid flowing into Gaza again. If we wait until after a famine is confirmed, it will already be too late for many people,' McCain said. Israel's Expanded Offensive
Late on Friday, Israel announced it had started the first stages of a new major offensive in Gaza to defeat Hamas and free the remaining hostages, reported CNN.
In a statement, the Israeli military said it begun the first moves of Operation 'Gideon's Chariots' and the expansion of the campaign in Gaza. This involved launching extensive attacks and mobilizing forces to seize strategic areas in the Gaza Strip 'to achieve all the goals of the war in Gaza, including the release of the hostages and the defeat of Hamas.'
Last month, the Israeli security cabinet approved a plan for an expanded military operation in Gaza, which included evacuating Palestinians from northern and central Gaza before expanding operations in those areas. The Israeli military also issued tens of thousands of call-up orders for reservists for a potential expansion of operations in Gaza.
In the light of this, Israel intensified its airstrikes on Gaza since Thursday, killing more than 100 people, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's civil defense agency.
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