European Council President Charles Michel announced on Saturday evening that he would convene an extraordinary summit of EU leaders on Tuesday. The purpose of the meeting, which will be held via video conference, is to “define a common position” that reflects the “complexity of the evolving situation” regarding the war between Israel and Palestinian Hamas.
In a call to EU leaders, Michael wrote that the “brutal Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel” on October 7 had resulted in the “tragic death of over a thousand innocent Israeli citizens”. The hostages must be released immediately without any preconditions. “There is no justification for terrorism,” he asserted.
Israeli military: We are finalizing preparations to attack Gaza “from air, sea and land”.
“We stand in full solidarity with the people of Israel and the victims of terrorist attacks. Israel has the right to defend itself in full respect of international law, especially international humanitarian law. Tragic scenes are unfolding in the Gaza Strip. The siege and failure to meet basic needs, the destruction caused by heavy shelling, are causing concern in the international community. The President of the Council of Europe noted.
The European Council should define a “common position” and establish a “single action”.
“It is very important that the Council of Europe defines a common position and establishes clear, united action that reflects the complexity of the developing situation, in line with the agreements and our values,” Michael added. “This conflict has many consequences, including for us in the EU,” he wrote, listing the community’s tasks: providing humanitarian aid and avoiding an escalation of conflict in the region.
Israel’s War with Hamas
The Israel Defense Forces announced on Saturday evening that they were finalizing preparations for a “significant ground operation” in the Gaza Strip. They indicated that the preparations included “wide-ranging offensive operational plans,” including “coordinated and integrated air, sea and land attack.” Earlier, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with infantrymen stationed near the Gaza border.
At the same time, the Israel Defense Forces ordered the evacuation of all civilians living in the northern part of the Gaza Strip ahead of an Israeli military ground operation.
Main photo source: PAP/EPA/ATEF SAFADI
. “Hardcore internet junkie. Award-winning bacon ninja. Social media trailblazer. Subtly charming pop culture advocate. Falls down a lot.”