The European Commission has announced its readiness to take a leading role in post-ceasefire Gaza, unveiling plans for humanitarian relief, medical evacuations, and stabilization projects.

However, the move has been met with sharp condemnation from within the European Parliament itself, where many lawmakers accused the EU of moral hypocrisy and complicity in Israel’s crimes against the Palestinian people.

Speaking before the European Parliament in Strasbourg, European Commissioner Dubravka Šuica described Gaza’s situation as “deeply fragile” and “catastrophic,” even after the recent truce. She said the EU was prepared to mobilize its resources for a “comprehensive plan” that includes large-scale humanitarian assistance, medical evacuations to Europe, and the deployment of civil protection teams for rubble removal and decontamination.

Šuica added that the EU intended to reactivate its border mission at Rafah and extend Palestinian police training to Gaza, saying Europe had “a responsibility to help bring stability” after months of Israeli bombardment that left tens of thousands dead, most of them women and children.

But the commissioner’s remarks triggered a fierce backlash from numerous Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), many of whom accused the European bloc of turning a blind eye to Israel’s systematic destruction of Gaza and supporting a genocide through silence and arms sales.

Irish MEP Lynn Boylan condemned the Commission’s statements as hollow, saying: “This ceasefire cannot be an excuse for the EU to sit on its hands. The bloc has done nothing while Gaza was turned into rubble. Now is the time to restore credibility and end complicity in this genocide.”

Left-wing MEPs Rima Hassan and Marc Botenga echoed her words, accusing the EU of acting as a political shield for Israel. Hassan said the EU’s approach reflected a “colonial mindset”, while Botenga charged Brussels with “financing and arming genocide under the cover of humanitarian aid.”

everal MEPs called for tangible accountability and justice. Slovenian MEP Matjaž Nemec urged the EU to pursue war crime investigations and impose sanctions on Israeli officials responsible for the destruction of Gaza.

Meanwhile, Irish lawmaker Luke Ming Flanagan demanded that Israel be made to pay for Gaza’s reconstruction, arguing that the aggressor, not the victim, should bear the cost of rebuilding.

Despite the rising anger from within the Parliament, Commissioner Šuica insisted that the European Union remains committed to the two-state solution and announced plans for a donor conference in November to coordinate reconstruction and governance reforms for Gaza.

However, critics argue that Europe’s credibility in the Arab and Muslim world has collapsed, given its failure to condemn Israel’s actions and its continued arms trade with Tel Aviv throughout the nearly two-year-long assault on the besieged enclave.

For many observers, the Commission’s latest declarations highlight Europe’s attempt to rehabilitate its image in the wake of unprecedented Palestinian suffering — while still refusing to confront the root of the crisis: Israel’s occupation, blockade, and ongoing violations of international law.

As Gaza’s civilians dig through rubble and bury their dead, MEP Boylan’s words echoed the mood across much of the chamber: “Europe cannot rebuild Gaza with one hand while funding its destruction with the other.” (ILKHA)