BRUSSELS, May 16, 2025 (WAFA) – A group of European leaders vowed on Friday that they would not remain silent in the face of the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.

“We will not be silent in front of the man-made humanitarian catastrophe that is taking place before our eyes in Gaza. More than 50,000 men, women, and children have lost their lives. Many more could starve to death in the coming days and weeks unless immediate action is taken,” the leaders of Spain, Norway, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, and Slovenia said in a statement reported by the Irish Examiner.

They called on the Israeli government to “immediately reverse its current policy, refrain from further military operations, and fully lift the blockade, ensuring safe, rapid, and unimpeded humanitarian aid to be distributed throughout the Gaza strip by international humanitarian actors and according to humanitarian principles.”

"We must assume the responsibility to stop this devastation," they added, while calling for the immediate engagement in negotiations on a ceasefire.

They pledged to “continue to support the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, and work within the framework of the United Nations and with other actors, like the Arab League and Arab and Islamic States, to move forward to achieve a peaceful and sustainable solution.”

They stressed that “Only peace can bring security for Palestinians, Israelis and the region, and only respect for international law can secure lasting peace.”

They condemned “the further escalation in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, with increased settler violence, the expansion of illegal settlements and intensified Israel military operations.”

They reiterated that the "forced displacement or the expulsion of the Palestinian people, by any means, is unacceptable and would constitute a breach of international law,” and affirmed their rejection of “any such plans or attempts at demographic change."

K.F.