Kaja Kallas, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, affirmed that a military solution in Gaza is impossible, stating, “If it were possible, the war against Hamas would have ended long ago and the hostages would have been released.”
اضافة اعلان
Speaking on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meetings, she added: “Instead, the war continues, and famine has set in that could have been avoided if humanitarian aid had been allowed in.”
Kallas emphasized that the international community bears a collective responsibility to change the situation, renewing calls for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all detainees, and wide-scale humanitarian access to Gaza.
She highlighted that Europe has been “the most active global actor in Gaza,” serving as the largest humanitarian donor and providing Palestinians with support exceeding that of any other party.
Kallas noted that the EU has negotiated a humanitarian understanding with the Israeli government, which allowed increased aid truck entries into Gaza, re-opened routes through Jordan and Egypt, and implemented basic infrastructure repairs. In August, a ship carrying 1,200 tons of aid departed from Limassol, Cyprus, with further shipments planned.
However, she stressed that these steps are “not sufficient” and explained that the EU has resorted to other pressure tools on Israel, including proposed sanctions on extremist Israeli ministers, violent settlers in the West Bank, their supporters, additional sanctions on Hamas fighters, and suspension of trade concessions with Israel.
She said: “It is a message to the current Israeli government: change your course and address the humanitarian suffering.”
Regarding the future political solution, Kallas emphasized reconciling “Israel’s legitimate right to live in security and peace” with the establishment of a future Palestinian state, concluding that the answer is clear: two states living side by side. She noted that the world’s weight supports a two-state solution, as reaffirmed in a prior conference.
The EU has been a major supporter of the Palestinian Authority, pledging €1.6 billion over the next three years, and ensuring the continued operation of its institutions, including education, during the war. The EU also launched a “Donor Forum for Palestine” to fund the Palestinian people’s future, emphasizing that a global coalition remains the best mechanism to turn commitments into actions.
Kallas concluded by stressing that the war must reach a turning point, warning that this must not come at the expense of the viability of a Palestinian state or Israel’s legitimate security concerns. She added: “We have the ability to change the course of this conflict, secure the release of remaining detainees, prevent further civilian suffering, and put an end to this war.”
– Al-Mamlaka
