European diplomats discuss deal with Israel to increase Gaza aid

BRUSSELS (AP) — Europe’s top diplomats are assessing a new deal with Israel to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, according to Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s foreign policy chief. Foreign ministers from the EU’s 27-member nations are meeting Tuesday in Brussels in the wake of a new aid deal for Gaza largely forged by Kallas and Israeli foreign minister Gideon Saar, who met with EU leaders on Monday, to allow desperately needed food and fuel into the coastal enclave of 2.3 million people who have endured more than 21 months of war. “We have reached a common understanding with Israel to really improve the situation on the ground, but it’s not about the paper, but actually implementation of the paper,” Kallas said before the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council. “As long as it hasn’t really improved, then we haven’t all done enough,” she said, before calling for a ceasefire. European nations like Ireland and Spain have increasingly called for the EU’s ties with Israel to be reassessed in the wake of the war in Gaza. A report by the Commission found “ indications ” that Israel’s actions in Gaza are violating human rights obligations in the agreement governing its ties with the EU — but the block is divided over what to do in response. That public pressure over Israel’s conduct that sparked a review of the EU’s Association Agreement with Israel might’ve led Israel to reach an agreement, said an EU diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the deal. “The humanitarian deal announced last week shows that the association agreement review and use of EU leverage has worked,” the diplomat said. The war began after Hamas attacked Israel in 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 others hostage, most of whom have been released in earlier ceasefires. Israel responded with an offensive that has killed more than 58,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry, which is under Gaza’s Hamas-run government, doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants. The U.N. and other international organizations see its figures as the most reliable statistics on war casualties. Kallas said the ministers will also discuss Iran’s nuclear program, concerns over developments in Georgia and Moldova, and new sanctions on Russia. The EU is readying its 18th package of sanctions on Russia, with holdouts within the bloc arguing over the keystone policy of capping oil prices to cut into Moscow’s energy revenues. She welcomed the news from Washington that U.S. President Donald Trump will allow the EU to pay for American weapons to be sent to Ukraine — a stunning reversal of policy after he previously antagonized European allies while sending overtures to Moscow. The plan is designed to allow the U.S. to funnel more firepower to Ukraine to combat invading Russian forces during their summer military offensive while easing Washington’s financial burden. Increased weapons shipments, combined with possible new penalties Trump has promised if a halt to the fighting isn’t reached in 50 days, could push Russian President Vladimir Putin into peace talks that Trump has championed for months — so far with little to show for it. Source