European Council President Antonio Costa issued a scathing condemnation of Israel’s continued military onslaught against the Gaza Strip, calling the situation a “humanitarian tragedy” and demanding the immediate lifting of the Israeli blockade that has left millions of Palestinians starving and besieged.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, Costa expressed deep alarm over the daily atrocities unfolding in Gaza. “Shocked by the daily news coming from Gaza: civilians starving, hospitals hit again by strikes. Violence must stop!” he wrote.

Costa stressed that Israel must end its suffocating blockade, which has stripped Palestinians of access to food, water, medical care, and safety, and allow for the rapid, safe, and unhindered flow of humanitarian aid.

“What’s happening in Gaza is a humanitarian tragedy,” he added. “A whole people is being subjected to crushing, disproportionate military force. International law is systematically violated.”

The European official emphasized the urgent need for a sustained ceasefire, humanitarian access, and the unconditional release of all hostages. His statement comes amid rising global condemnation of Israel’s military campaign, which has been widely described as genocidal and aimed at collectively punishing Gaza’s civilian population.

Israel Resumes Genocidal Assault Following Ceasefire Collapse

Israel’s military resumed full-scale bombardment of Gaza on March 18, violating a ceasefire that had held since January 19. Since then, 3,131 Palestinians have been killed, most of them children, women, and the elderly, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Another 8,632 people have been injured in the renewed wave of indiscriminate airstrikes and artillery fire.

The overall death toll from Israel’s relentless war on Gaza, which began on October 7, 2023, now stands at 53,272, with 120,673 wounded. Thousands more are missing under the rubble, presumed dead.

In response to Israel’s latest escalation, the Palestinian resistance group Hamas accused Tel Aviv of deliberately sabotaging peace talks and resuming what it described as a systematic campaign of genocide.

On Saturday alone, Israeli warplanes killed at least 45 Palestinians in intensified attacks across the Gaza Strip.

International Pressure Mounting, But Israel Remains Defiant

Costa’s condemnation adds to growing international demands for an end to the bloodshed, with human rights organizations and UN officials accusing Israel of war crimes, including the targeting of medical facilities, refugee camps, and designated humanitarian zones.

Despite global outrage, Israel has continued its scorched-earth tactics, justifying the mass killing of civilians as part of its military objectives. Analysts warn that without immediate international intervention, Gaza’s already devastated population faces total humanitarian collapse.

Antonio Costa’s statement signals increasing frustration within Europe over Israel’s disregard for international norms. His call for an end to the blockade reflects the broader global demand for accountability, justice, and the protection of the Palestinian people, whose suffering continues to shock the conscience of the world. (ILKHA)