CAIRO – 9 May 2025: Foreign ministers of the European Union will hold discussions later this month regarding the review of its trade agreement with Israel, prompted by growing concerns over the ongoing war in Gaza, the Associated Press reported.
They will convene on May 20 to address the situation, particularly in light of Israel's blockade of humanitarian aid, which has forced aid organizations to close community soup kitchens due to depleted supplies.
Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief, noted that frustration among member states regarding their inability to intervene effectively is “tremendous.”
The EU's Association Agreement with Israel, in place since 2000, requires adherence to human rights and democratic principles.
The Dutch government has indicated its plans to block the agreement until a review confirms Israel's compliance.
Other EU ministers echoed similar sentiments, with Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon highlighting serious violations of international law.
“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 the international law and humanitarian law.”
Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares emphasized the need for Europe to raise its voice against the situation in Gaza and affirmed that the EU “will never accept” the displacement of the enclave’s residents.
Since early in March, Israel has blocked humanitarian aid and power supply bound for Gaza and resumed military operations two weeks later, shattering a ceasefire that has led to the release of dozens of captives and allowed the entry of thousands of aid trucks.
The UN warned last week of the unfolding of the “worst-case scenario” in Gaza, home to around 2.2 million people, amid the ongoing Israeli blockade, which threatens mass starvation.
“Food stocks have now mainly run out, water access has become impossible,” said Spokesperson of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Olga Cherevko. “Gaza is inching closer to running on empty.”
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk urged concerted international efforts to halt the humanitarian catastrophe “from reaching a new unseen level.”
“Any use of starvation of the civilian population as a method of war constitutes a war crime, and so do all forms of collective punishment,” he warned.
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