Six European countries condemn Israeli plans

"We, the Foreign Ministers of Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, Slovenia and Spain, are deeply concerned by reports of Israel's expansion of military operations in Gaza and its continued presence there. This represents yet another escalation, a dangerous new escalation and jeopardizes all prospects for a two-state solution," the statement said.

The six ministers stressed that any new military escalation in Gaza would have devastating consequences for Palestinian civilians and endanger the lives of hostages.

"We firmly reject any demographic or territorial changes in Gaza, especially those that result in forced displacement of the population, which are a violation of international law," the statement said, noting that Gaza is an integral part of the State of Palestine.

The diplomats strongly condemned Israel's blocking of humanitarian aid and commercial cargo for more than two months and called for the immediate lifting of these measures.

"We call on Israel to immediately lift this blockade," the statement said.

Finally, the ministers called on all parties to exercise patience and a ceasefire, and reiterated their commitment to a two-state solution.

According to the World Bank, an estimated 2.4 million people in Gaza are in need of full humanitarian assistance. Since March 2, 2024, Israel has completely cut off the flow of food, medicine, and other aid into Gaza. Since October 2023, more than 52,600 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli offensive on Gaza, most of them women and children.