EU plans pressure against Israel: What does that mean for Gaza?

EU plans pressure against Israel: What does that mean for Gaza?

Wien, Österreich - European foreign policy in relation to Israel is currently experiencing a decisive turn. EU foreign commissioner Kaja Kallas has announced that the Union is planning measures against Israel if the new aid agreements for the Gaza Strip fail. A comprehensive catalog of potential pressure measures has already been transmitted to the Member States, reports vienna.at .

The measures proposed in the catalog include, among other things, the exposure of commercial advantages, a weapon embargo and the blockade of Israel's access to the EU research promotion program Horizon. In addition, a tightening of the entry requirements for Israeli citizens and sanctions against responsible politicians is considered. However, many of these measures require the unanimous approval of all Member States, which is a challenge in view of the critical attitude of some countries, especially Germany.

Humanitarian location in the Gaza Strip

At the same time, Israel has accepted an agreement to improve the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. This includes the increase in daily grocery deliveries and the opening of additional border crossings. The restoration of the Jordan and Egyptian auxiliary routes is also part of it, which represents a significant step to improve the situation, as DW.com . In the past few days, several EU countries have put pressure on Israel, which could have led to this decision.

The agreement also provides that the distribution of food via local bakeries and public kitchens is facilitated, while support for humanitarian helpers is to be improved. A water treatment plant is again supplied with electricity, and aid organizations are enabled to import fuel. These new measures could come into force in the coming days. However, strict control is required to ensure that no help is redirected to Hamas.

Criticism of the Gaza Humanitrian Foundation

The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip remains critical and reports on looting from relief goods cause additional concerns. The UN and several international aid organizations refuse to cooperate with the Gaza Humanitrian Foundation (GHF), which is responsible for the distribution of relief goods in the Gaza Strip. This organization is criticized not to comply with the basic humanitarian principles, which fueled chaos and violence in the distribution centers, as can be seen from the current reports.

The conflict is to be understood against the background of an escalating war between Israel and Hamas, which, after a major attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023. So far, according to Hamas, the conflict has led to over 57,600 fatalities in the Gaza Strip, a number that cannot be verified independently. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights also refers to more than 500 deaths in the immediate vivants of the GHF distribution centers.

In coming negotiations, an attempt is made to achieve a ceasefire. While some governments, including the US government, hope for an early agreement, however, many conflict points remain. The Israeli Prime Minister with President Trump is currently talking about strategies for conflict resolution, but both are divided about the conditions of a possible withdrawal of the Israeli troops.

The discussions continue next Tuesday when the EU's next EU will take place in Brussels. However, the uncertainty of future measures in the event of the failure of the auxiliary agreement remains, which could also burden the already tense diplomatic relationships between the EU countries and Israel, such as Tagesspiegel.de explained.