The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza is worsening by the day. The latest plan announced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take over Gaza City comes on top of unprecedented destruction, the blockade of humanitarian aid, and the spread of famine. Around 900,000 civilians remain trapped in the city, facing dire shortages of food, water and medical supplies.
Echoing the statement made by European Council President António Costa (full statement here), PES President Stefan Löfven said:
“Netanyahu’s plan for Gaza City is unacceptable, and it will deepen the catastrophe.
The Israeli government is clearly dismantling the possibility of a two-state solution — the only viable path to a just and lasting peace. The violence in the West Bank, the expansion of settlements, and the humanitarian disaster in Gaza must stop. Such an operation not only violates the agreement with the EU announced by the High Representative on July 19 but also undermines fundamental principles of international law and universal values. We therefore call for the EU–Israel Association Agreement to be suspended, and for a halt to any arms exports that could be used in this war.”
The situation in the West Bank is also deteriorating rapidly, with ongoing military operations, the forced displacement of thousands of Palestinians, increasing settler violence, and new settlement expansion. These actions not only fuel instability but also make the two-state solution ever harder to achieve.
Speaking during his official visit to Japan, where he addressed the Mayors for Peace conference in Nagasaki on disarmament, reconciliation and global cooperation, Löfven underlined that the defence of peace requires both political courage and practical action. He stressed that, from Hiroshima and Nagasaki to Kyiv and Gaza, peace must never be taken for granted and must always be rebuilt, through diplomacy that includes education that empowers, and global cooperation that puts people, not power, at the centre.
