The Party of European Socialists (PES) condemns the recent announcement of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of a new “intensified” offensive in Gaza. This decision to expand Israeli ground operations and to exacerbate the significant displacement of the population will inevitably lead to more civilian deaths and the further destruction of Gaza, as rightfully warned by UN Secretary General António Guterres.
As the PES, we reiterate our stance that an immediate ceasefire, together with the unconditional release of all hostages and the protection of all civilians on both sides, is the only way to address the current crisis. The decision of Netanyahu’s government to seize the Palestinian territory by force and to employ repressive measures to annihilate the entire population of Gaza is undermining any possibility of achieving an agreement to release the Israeli hostages.
Israel’s military actions in Gaza have resulted in over 52,000 Palestinian fatalities, primarily due to systematic deprivation of medical assistance, widespread starvation, and continuous bombardments. At the same time, the suspension of humanitarian aid further exacerbates the humanitarian crisis. We urgently call upon the Israeli government to comply with international humanitarian law, to immediately restore essential aid deliveries, and to ensure unrestricted access to food, water, and medical supplies for Gaza’s civilian population.
Furthermore, we are concerned by the Israeli-US plan to establish a new mechanism for aid delivery to Palestinians, which may potentially compromise established humanitarian principles such as impartiality, independence, and neutrality.
In response to this escalation, PES President Stefan Löfven said:
‘‘The scenes in Gaza are indescribable. The attack on October 7 was an inhumane act of terror, but responding with inhumane actions is not an acceptable answer.
History will remember this moment, and we can choose on which side of history we want to be. To seize Gaza by force will only perpetuate the bloodshed, deepen divisions, and put the lives of Gazans, the hostages, and geopolitical stability in peril.
As Europe’s largest progressive force, we call upon the European institutions to take action to de-escalate the tensions and to open the path for a viable, long-lasting peace based on the two-state solution.’’
