EU leaders decry Gaza humanitarian crisis as 'catastrophic, abhorrent'
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European Council President Antonio Costa and EU leaders condemned the catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza, highlighting violations of human rights by "Israel" during a summit in Brussels.
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European Council President Antonio Costa speaks during a media conference at an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 26, 2025. (AP)
European Council President Antonio Costa described the humanitarian crisis in Gaza as "catastrophic" and condemned the ongoing human rights violations.
"Human rights are being violated. The review of Israel’s compliance with our joint association agreement has confirmed this is an unacceptable situation," Costa stated, adding that EU foreign ministers will deliberate on possible next steps, emphasizing the importance of a "frank dialogue" with "Israel".
Costa's comments were made as EU member state leaders convened Thursday in Brussels for a high-level summit.
Last week, the European Union's diplomatic service 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.
EU discusses defense strategy, Ukraine’s future
During the summit, Costa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk held a joint press conference. Costa advocated for a more coordinated European defense system, arguing for efficiency and equitable burden-sharing rather than duplicating military expenditures across all 27 member states.
"We don't need to replicate the same capabilities in each member state. We don't need to multiply by 27 all our investments in defense. What we need is efficiency and fair burden sharing," he asserted.
Costa also reaffirmed the EU's commitment to Ukraine, noting that Europe's security is intrinsically linked to Kiev. He called for accelerating Ukraine's path toward EU accession.
"Now is the time to intensify our work and advance (Ukraine) on the path towards European Union accession," he added.
Von der Leyen highlights geopolitical tensions
Von der Leyen remarked that the summit was taking place amid significant "geopolitical and geoeconomic volatility." On Gaza, she labeled the humanitarian situation as "abhorrent and unbearable" and urged for immediate aid to be delivered.
She also briefed EU leaders on the status of trade negotiations with the US, indicating that while progress had been made, preparations were also underway for scenarios where no deal could be reached.
"We are ready for a deal. At the same time, we are preparing for the possibility that no satisfactory agreement is reached. This is why we consulted on a rebalancing list, and we will defend the European interest as needed. In short, all options remain on the table," she said.
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