By Elena Giordano
Copyright politico
“What is happening in Gaza has shaken the conscience of the world,” von der Leyen said. “We will propose sanctions on the extremist ministers and on violent settlers. And we will also propose a partial suspension of the Association Agreement on trade-related matters.”
The measures require approval by EU member countries, a difficult hurdle to clear given deep divisions in the bloc over the Middle East, but are a clear political signal of Brussels’ growing disapproval of Israel’s conduct in Gaza.
Israel launched a ground offensive in Gaza City late Monday, escalating its campaign against Hamas after weeks of heavy bombardment.
Meanwhile, a United Nations Commission concluded in a report published Tuesday that Israel has been committing genocide in the Gaza Strip.
According to Gaza’s health ministry, which is under the Hamas-run government, more than 64,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s assault. U.N. agencies and independent experts consider the ministry’s casualty records as generally reliable. The retaliation began after Hamas militants killed some 1,200 people on Israeli soil on Oct. 7, 2023 and took around 250 hostages into Gaza.
