EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell has urged Israel to exercise restraint in response to the October 7 attack by Hamas.
During his first visit to Israel since the conflict’s outbreak, Borrell expressed shock at the human suffering on both sides.
Touring Kibbutz Be’eri, where Hamas attacked last month, Borrell called on Israelis not to succumb to rage. He stressed that the horrors witnessed in Gaza should not justify further violence.
Accompanied by Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, Borrell expressed solidarity with Israel while underscoring that Hamas is responsible for both Israeli and Palestinian casualties.
However, Borrell asked Israel not to be consumed by rage
Cohen reiterated Israel’s position, attributing the October 7 atrocity and subsequent suffering in Gaza to Hamas which he said was sponsored by Iran.
Reports from the Gaza Health Ministry indicate over 11,500 Palestinian casualties in Israeli operations, with thousands more injured. Israeli officials claim over 1,200 deaths and 200 hostages, including foreign nationals, during Hamas’s attack.
Following his tour in Kibbutz Be’eri, Borrell also met with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh and Palestinian Authority Pres. Mahmoud Abbas
Borrell also pledged to discuss the Palestinian situation in an upcoming meeting with Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.
The EU foreign policy chief’s four-day Middle East trip concludes next Monday, with Qatar’s known ties to Hamas and efforts to secure hostage releases on the agenda.
