The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, called for resuming negotiations on Monday in reaction to the recent intensification of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, which followed unexpected Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) air strikes on Gaza.
During a press conference in Jerusalem, where she had a meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, Kallas commented, “Violence only breeds further violence.”
“What we’re seeing currently is a perilous intensification of the situation. This is creating immense uncertainty for the captives and their loved ones, and simultaneously instilling terror and leading to fatalities among the Palestinian population,” Kallas stated additionally.
Foreign Minister Sa’ar stated that “the conflict could conclude as early as tomorrow” provided certain conditions are met. These include the liberation of hostages seized by Hamas, the disarmament of Gaza, along with “the removal of armed factions from Hamas and Islamic Jihad.”
Sa’ar stated that they would be delighted to reach their objectives through diplomatic channels. However, should this prove unfeasible, they must proceed with their military operations.
The truce initiated in January halted more than a year of conflict that started with Hamas’ assault on October 7, 2023. During this period, their fighters killed around 1,200 individuals, primarily civilians, and seized 251 hostages. Many of these captives have subsequently been freed via ceasefire arrangements or various pacts.
During the initial stage of the truce, 25 Israeli hostages along with the remains of eight more were freed in return for approximately 2,000 Palestinian detainees.
The Israeli military later permitted hundreds of thousands of individuals to return to their homes, leading to an uptick in humanitarian assistance. However, Israel recently halted all deliveries of supplies to Gaza earlier this month in order to exert pressure on Hamas for additional negotiations regarding the agreement.
It was anticipated that the parties would start discussions in early February concerning the subsequent stage of the truce. This included releasing the leftover 59 captives—of whom roughly half are thought to have perished—in return for additional Palestinian inmates being freed, a permanent cessation of hostilities, and Israel’s retreat from occupied areas. Nonetheless, such dialogues did not take place.
“The only viable solution to alleviate the pain for everyone involved is to restart the discussions,” Kallas emphasized again.
Moreover, Kallas highlighted that the EU does not envision a role for Hamas in governing the Strip moving ahead and stated their willingness to engage in talks regarding Gaza’s future with the aim of achieving lasting peace.