Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, said she wants to pursue sanctions and partial trade suspension against Israel as a result of the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Ursula von der Leyen delivered a significant State of the Union speech on Wednesday about the problems confronting the European Union’s largest trading bloc, and what her vision is for solving them.
Why is Ursula von der Leyen proposing sanctions on Israel?
The European Commission president said that the events in Gaza and the suffering of children and families “have shaken the conscience of the world”. She also mentioned that the commission will establish a Palestine donor group next month, with a focus on rebuilding Gaza’s future.
Von der Leyen added, to applause in the European Parliament at its meeting in Strasbourg, France:
“Man-made famine can never be a weapon of war. “For the sake of the children, for the sake of humanity. This must stop.”
Von der Leyen’s comments came following Israel’s military warned residents of Gaza City to evacuate ahead of its planned takeover of what it claims is Hamas’s last remaining stronghold, where hundreds of thousands of people are facing severe famine conditions.
How are Israeli evacuation orders intensifying humanitarian concerns in Gaza?
Israel issued a warning on Tuesday, ahead of a strike targeting Hamas leaders in Qatar, where peace talks over the Gaza war seemed stalled. The warning specifically aimed at Gaza City marked the first time such a full evacuation was called for.
Following the rise in tensions and calls to evacuate Gaza City, the number of people leaving has surged to nearly twice the daily average of recent weeks, according to a coalition of humanitarian groups tracking the situation.
What past criticisms has von der Leyen directed at Israel?
Ursula von der Leyen has made several statements that have criticised different parts of Israel’s actions during the Gaza conflict of 2025. She called the humanitarian situation in Gaza “appalling”, saying that the suffering of children and families there “has shaken the conscience of the world.” She called the Gaza crisis a “man-made famine”, and said this kind of suffering “can never be a weapon of war”.
