“Catastrophic Situation": EU to Review Trade with Israel Amid Gaza Genocide and Blockade, Says Foreign Policy Chief
Brussels (Quds News Network)- European Commission foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Tuesday that the EU will review its political and economic agreement with Israel in response to the "catastrophic" situation in Gaza.
Diplomats said 17 of 27 EU members backed the review, which will focus on whether Israel is complying with a human rights clause in the agreement. It was a proposal from Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp to "review" Article Two of the European Union's association agreement with Israel.
Article Two of the agreement states that relations "shall be based on respect for human rights and democratic principles".
In a letter proposing the review, Veldkamp raised concerns about Israeli policies “exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation”.
He also cited “statements by Israeli cabinet members about a permanent presence that alludes to a reoccupation of (parts of) the Gaza Strip, Syria and Lebanon” and a “further worsening of the situation in the West Bank”.
"The situation in Gaza is catastrophic," said Kallas, the EU's top diplomat. "The aid that Israel has allowed in is of course welcomed, but it's a drop in the ocean. Aid must flow immediately without obstruction and at scale because this is what is needed."
"I've made these points also with my talks with Israelis," she continued. "Also I've had talks with UN and the regional leaders as well. Pressure is necessary to change the situation."
"The Netherlands took the initiative because we have grave concerns about Gaza," said Veldkamp.
"We are grateful that enough Member States support this step and that the High Representative Kaja Kallas has decided to initiate the review of Art 2."
"This is an important European signal that the Israeli government needs to fully lift the humanitarian blockade," he said. "Meanwhile, we need to keep working towards a ceasefire, to get the hostages released, humanitarian aid to those in need and bring an end to this terrible war."
Marc Botenga MEP, The Left Group's coordinator on the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs, welcomed the review of the Israel-EU agreement, but added: "Israel is still receiving arms and public funds from Europe. This full complicity with genocide and ethnic cleansing is outrageous. We need a total arms embargo against Israel now and an immediate cancellation of the EU-Israel Association Agreement."
Britain on Tuesday halted negotiations on a free trade agreement with Israel over the situation in Gaza.
The move came after 23 countries, including the UK, France and Canada signed a joint statement on Monday, warning Israel to let aid into Gaza, warning that the population faced “starvation”. It said humanitarian aid should never be politicised.
Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon was among those backers.
“The world has clearly failed on the test of humanity,” she said. “We have to act more seriously because we are really facing a clear violation of international law and humanitarian law.”
Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said that “it’s more important than ever that the voice of Europe raises against what is happening right now in Gaza.” He said the EU “will never accept the displacement of people” from Gaza.
On March 2, Israel announced the closure of Gaza’s main crossings, cutting off food, medical and humanitarian supplies, leading to an unprecedented deterioration of humanitarian conditions, according to reports by human rights organisations who have accused it of using starvation as a weapon of war against Palestinains.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report, issued last week, warned that almost a quarter of the civilian population would face catastrophic levels of food insecurity (IPC Phase Five) in the coming months.
However, after about 80 days of total blockade and starvation and widespread international outrage, Israel announced Monday it will allow a very limited passage of aid trucks into the enclave.
However, two days later, the United Nations confirmed that Israel is still blocking food from reaching starving Palestinians with only five trucks of aid having reached Gaza by Tuesday afternoon. Aid workers had not been given permission to distribute even that token shipment, Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN humanitarian office (OCHA) told a Geneva press briefing.
Axios reported that aid will enter through several international organizations until a new US-Israeli aid mechanism begins on May 24.
The aid decision appears to be part of the broader US-Israeli plan. The strategy aims to push Gaza’s entire population into a narrow strip in the far south. Human rights groups say this amounts to forced displacement.
Under the plan, aid would only reach about 25% of Gaza’s population.
A senior Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post that most aid distribution points will be located in southern Gaza. These centers will be run by the Israeli army and private US companies, not by neutral humanitarian groups.
The official added that this is a temporary one-week decision until distribution hubs are fully operational. Axios reported that aid will be delivered through the World Food Programme, World Central Kitchen, and other relief organizations.
The infamous plan is part of Israel’s ongoing offensive, known as “Operation Gideon’s Chariots.” It includes controlled aid deliveries, managed entirely by the military, with no independent oversight. Rights experts warn this turns humanitarian aid into a weapon.
The United Nations has criticized the American-Israeli strategy. The UN says it endangers civilians and violates the principle of impartial aid. Instead of protecting people, the aid corridors may be used to justify more attacks.
Humanitarian agencies warn that isolating civilians in a tightly controlled zone, while bombing other areas, turns basic survival into a military tool.
