Socialist MEPs claim that expanding Israel’s military campaign in Gaza will
“endanger the lives of Israeli hostages.”
They also allege that it will bring
“more death and suffering to Palestinians, and push peace further out of reach.”
The Socialists and Democrats in the EU Parliament have strongly condemned Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu’s “escalation of the war” and reiterate calls for urgent EU action to “end the bloodshed.”
Israel’s security cabinet backed proposals to take control of Gaza City with a statement on Friday outlining a five-point plan “for defeating Hamas” and “concluding the war”.
The plan details a total of five objectives: disarming Hamas, returning all hostages, demilitarising the Gaza Strip, taking security control of the territory, and establishing “an alternative civil administration that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority”.
The statement reads,
“The IDF [Israel Defense Forces] will prepare to take control of Gaza City while providing humanitarian aid to the civilian population outside the combat zones,”
But, speaking on Friday, Yannis Maniatis, S&D vice-president, said:“More death and destruction – that is what this horrific decision means. Countless people, both Israelis and Palestinians, are going to be killed because of Netanyahu’s senseless strategy, which goes against the security of Israel and the hostages, and is opposed by civil society and the Israeli people.
“Over 60,000 Palestinians have been killed, many shot dead begging for food. Two million people have been displaced. Humanitarian aid has been withheld. Now, they will face direct military occupations. All this in clear violation of International Law.
“Given the seriousness of the situation, these developments must urgently be discussed by the EU’s Foreign Affairs Council as well as in the AFET Committee of the European Parliament.”
The comments are echoed by Nacho Sanchez Amor, S&D AFET coordinator,who said,
“It’s time for the EU to step up and act in the name of humanity. The situation demands an EU response: suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement, enforce a comprehensive arms embargo, and guarantee humanitarian access in Gaza. The EU must no longer be silent.”
Earlier this week, S&D president Iratxe García – alongside the presidents of the Greens/EFA and Left groups – wrote to EC president Ursula von der Leyen, president Antonio Costa and high representative Kaja Kallas calling for
“urgent action from the EU to help uphold international law.”
The S&D Group said, in a statement, that it remains committed to a two-state solution as the way to achieve long-lasting peace.
It says that since the “brutal” terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas on 7 October 2023, which left 1,195 Israelis dead and 251 kidnapped, the Israeli government has “unleashed a devastating military campaign” resulting in the deaths of over 60,000 Palestinians, the displacement of nearly two million people, and the
“systematic destruction of civilian infrastructure.”
The statement adds,
“Hunger is being used as a method of war: more than 6,000 humanitarian trucks remain blocked, while hundreds of civilians have been shot dead while seeking food. In the West Bank, almost 1,000 people have been killed, and settler violence has reached unprecedented levels,”
It goes on to state.
