Gaza killings denounced as 'disgrace to humanity' by Belgian king
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Belgium’s King Philippe calls the Gaza crisis "a disgrace to humanity," as over 100 Palestinians die seeking aid amid EU inaction and ongoing Israeli attacks.
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Belgium's King Philippe delivers a speech, ahead of Belgium's National Day, during a recording at the Royal Palace in Brussels, on July 16, 2025. (Didier Lebrun/Pool Photo via AP)
Belgium’s King Philippe has called for stronger European leadership in addressing the Gaza humanitarian crisis, describing the situation as "a disgrace to humanity."
In a speech delivered on Sunday ahead of Belgium’s National Day on July 21, the monarch stated that "the current situation has gone on far too long."
He echoed the call of United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for "an immediate end to this unbearable crisis," emphasizing Belgium’s support for such appeals.
🇧🇪 De Koning spreekt het land toe ter gelegenheid van de Nationale Feestdag.
— Belgian Royal Palace (@MonarchieBe) July 20, 2025
📺 Bekijk de volledige toespraak via : https://t.co/6oG2gr1EDn pic.twitter.com/0z6ol3LoIg
At least 73 Palestinians were killed on Sunday while attempting to obtain aid across Gaza, according to the enclave’s Health Ministry, and many of the victims were shot near the Zikim crossing with "Israel" in the northern part of the territory. According to reports, an additional 150 people were reportedly wounded.
In the #Gaza Strip, if Israeli massacres do not kill Palestinians, their systematic and deliberate policy of starvation as a weapon of war does. #AlMayadeen's correspondent in northern Gaza reported that entire Palestinian families haven't eaten a loaf of bread in days,… pic.twitter.com/tCfg8AGtUJ
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) July 20, 2025
According to the Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, more than 922 Palestinians have been martyred and over 6,000 wounded "among those who risked their lives to obtain food and water" amid the continuing blockade and critical shortages of basic supplies.
The statement emphasized that many of the victims died in front of cameras, while the world "continues to remain silent."
EU leadership faces scrutiny amid Gaza crisis
Despite the escalation in violence and rising civilian casualties, the European Union’s top officials did not issue any public response over the weekend.
Just days earlier, on July 15, EU foreign ministers met in Brussels and declined to impose sanctions on "Israel" over its conduct in Gaza.
The EU’s High Representative, Kaja Kallas, acknowledged the deteriorating conditions, calling the human rights situation in Gaza "catastrophic."
"We don’t have a ceasefire, and that’s why it is so much harder to provide that aid," Kallas said, adding: "But we really need to work for that to help the people because we don’t know how far the ceasefire really is [from being agreed]."
