The European Union's diplomatic service has indicated that "Israel" violated its human rights obligations under the terms of the EU—"Israel" Association Agreement, according to a document reviewed by Reuters.

The European External Action Service cited assessments from independent international institutions, stating, "there are indications that Israel would be in breach of its human rights obligations under Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement."

This assessment follows growing concerns in European capitals regarding the war on Gaza and the deteriorating humanitarian situation due to the ongoing Israeli siege on the enclave. 

The EU—"Israel" Association Agreement, which came into effect in 2000, is based on mutual respect for "human rights and democratic principles". In May, EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas confirmed that the bloc would review "Israel's" adherence to the agreement, a move backed by over half of the EU member states.

Reuters highlighted that the document elaborates that "Israel's" persistent restrictions on food, medicine, medical equipment, and other essential supplies have impacted the entire population of Gaza, emphasizing that the report relies on facts and assessments provided by credible international bodies, with a focus on recent developments in both Gaza and the West Bank.

An Israeli official dismissed the review, calling it "a one-sided report that exemplifies the double standards the EU uses towards Israel."

West Bank settler violence 

According to Reuters, the report also scrutinizes the situation in the West Bank, addressing issues such as settler violence, displacement, and lack of accountability. These developments raise further questions about "Israel's" compliance with international law.

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EU foreign ministers are set to deliberate on the findings during a meeting in Brussels on Monday. While some ministers may advocate for initiating measures based on the report, concrete decisions are not anticipated at this session.

Diplomats expect EU representatives to engage with "Israel" over the findings, aiming to influence its conduct. The topic is expected to resurface during another ministerial meeting scheduled for July.

It is worth noting that late last month, tensions between "Israel" and the European Union escalated following the European Commission’s decision to launch a formal review of the EU-"Israel" association agreement on May 28.

The move, triggered by mounting concern over the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, was expected to lead to a partial suspension of cooperation with "Israel", a senior EU diplomat told Al-Monitor.

Seventeen of the EU’s 27 member states backed the Dutch proposal on May 20 to revisit the agreement. According to the diplomat, Vice President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas held repeated discussions with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, but no meaningful steps were taken by the Israeli government to ease conditions in Gaza, leaving EU officials with few alternatives.

Read next: EU Parliament may label Israeli actions in Gaza ‘Genocide’

"Israel" maintains that its actions in Gaza are aligned with international law and are allegedly aimed at dismantling the Palestinian Resistance group, Hamas.

However, only on Friday, the Israeli occupation committed a new massacre,  killing eight Palestinians in an airstrike that targeted a home in the al-Ma’skar area west of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip. Also, three more Palestinians were killed and several others wounded in a separate Israeli strike on Salah al-Din Street in the central region of the Strip. 

More than 100 Palestinians were martyred in 24 hours, with over 64 of the victims killed in Gaza City and the northern governorate alone.

According to the latest figures from the Gaza Ministry of Health, the Israeli war on Gaza has left 55,706 Palestinians martyred and 130,101 wounded since October 7, 2023.