Europe and Arab Nations Urge End to Gaza War: "Inhumane and Senseless"

Food Shortages and Famine Due to Prolonged Gaza Blockade
EU Considers Reviewing EU-Israel Agreement as a Strong Measure
Calls for Personal Sanctions Against Prime Minister Netanyahu

On the 6th (local time), Palestinian residents are watching the site of a UNRWA school in the Gaza Strip destroyed by an Israeli airstrike. This school had been used as a shelter for refugees. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

Representatives from more than 20 European and Arab countries gathered in Madrid, Spain, to jointly pressure Israel for an end to the Gaza war. Amid a worsening humanitarian crisis in which people are dying of starvation due to the blockade of the Gaza Strip, there is a growing international consensus that the level of sanctions against Israel must be increased. The measures will not be limited to verbal threats; economic sanctions, including a review of the EU-Israel agreement, are also being planned.

According to France's AFP news agency on the 25th (local time), the ministerial meeting of the "Madrid Group" convened to halt the Gaza war included Arab countries such as Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, as well as European nations like France, the United Kingdom, and Italy. Germany also participated in the meeting for the first time, and countries that have recognized Palestine as a state?such as Spain, Norway, Ireland, and Slovenia?joined their voices, along with Brazil.

Jose Manuel Albares, Spain's Foreign Minister, urged at the meeting that sanctions against Israel should not be ruled out if the Gaza war is to be stopped. He emphasized that an arms embargo against Israel should be imposed, and that individual sanctions should not be excluded against those who seek to permanently undermine the "Two-State Solution." These remarks were interpreted as being directed at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who continues the war despite international criticism.

Minister Albares stated that the purpose of this meeting was to stop Israel's "inhumane and senseless" war in Gaza, and stressed that humanitarian aid "must enter the Gaza Strip on a large scale, without conditions or restrictions, and without being subject to Israeli control."

In the Gaza Strip, the prolonged blockade on humanitarian aid has led to people dying of starvation, further worsening the humanitarian situation. There is a growing shortage of food, water, fuel, and medicine, and fears of famine are spreading. Although Israel has recently allowed some aid deliveries, relief organizations point out that the amount is grossly insufficient.

Amid these developments, Israel has even launched "Operation Chariots of Gideon" with the goal of reoccupying the Gaza Strip. On the 21st, Prime Minister Netanyahu declared at a press conference in Jerusalem that the operation would not be halted, stating, "When this operation is over, every part of the Gaza Strip will be under Israeli control."

As the situation continues, the European Union (EU) has decided, with the support of a majority of its 27 member states, to review the EU-Israel agreement, which functions similarly to a free trade agreement (FTA), in order to increase pressure on Israel. As of 2022, the EU accounted for the largest share of Israel's total trade volume, indicating an intention to intensify economic pressure.

The meeting also included discussions on the "Two-State Solution" to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Mohammad Mustafa, Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority, stated, "We want to move toward peace as quickly as possible, so that Palestine and Israel can coexist and bring stability to the entire region."

After the meeting, Minister Albares said in a local radio interview that progress had been made thanks to the participation of many EU countries, including Germany, France, and Italy, and affirmed that they "will never give up on peace in the Middle East."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.