EU to convene extraordinary meeting on Israeli-Hamas war

The European Union (EU) is to convene an extraordinary meeting to mediate in the raging Israeli-Hamas war, according to the Council’s President, Charles Michel.

The EU President said the extraordinary meeting would be held via video conference Tuesday.

In an invitation letter to Council members on Saturday, Michel said the meeting would focus on the intensifying conflict between Israel and Palestine.

“Nothing justifies Hamas’ brutal terrorist attacks against Israel. Israel has the right to defend itself in full compliance with international law,” Michel said in the letter.

He added that the “unfolding tragic scenes in the Gaza Strip resulting from the siege and the lack of basic needs combined with the destruction brought by significant shelling, are raising alarm bells in the international community,” he said.

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He underlined that the unfolding tragedy has consequences for Europe, adding that the meeting is important to set a “common position and a clear unified course of action.”

Michel stressed that there would be four main topics that would be addressed due to the ongoing conflict which would include “providing humanitarian assistance and avoiding a regional escalation of the conflict and any breaches of humanitarian law, seeking a lasting and sustainable peace based on a two-state solution through reinvigorated efforts in the Middle East Peace Process, not allowing the conflict to exacerbate tensions between communities and feed extremism, handling major risk of migration.”

The Israeli-Hamas conflict began last Saturday when the Hamas terrorists group initiated what it called “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood”, a multi-pronged surprise attack including a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel via land, sea, and air.

The group said the operation was in retaliation for the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in the occupied East Jerusalem and Israeli settlers’ growing violence against Palestinians.

In retaliation, the Israeli military then launched its own “Operation Swords of Iron” against Hamas targets within the Gaza Strip and has continued to launch sustained and forceful military campaign against the Gaza Strip.

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