'More and more' EU countries now seeking cease-fire in Gaza, says bloc's top diplomat

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - Despite some different approaches among member states, today more and more EU countries support a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, the EU foreign policy chief said Thursday.

Speaking to the press before a European Council meeting in Brussels, Josep Borrell said the leaders will discuss the war in Ukraine plus enlargement issues.

"We will discuss also the situation in Gaza," he said, adding that they will have to take into account last week’s vote in the UN General Assembly calling for a cease-fire in the besieged enclave.

Europeans have to start thinking about how to deal with the problem using a political approach, he said.

"Arab countries have already said that they will not participate in rebuilding Gaza unless there is a strong commitment from the international community to build a two-state solution. And we have to focus on that," Borrell said.

He said there are different approaches among EU states, however, but as last week’s UN vote showed, there are more member states today supporting a cease-fire than previously.

“More and more people" are pushing for a cease-fire, he said.

"We have to focus on a political solution to the problem once and for all. And this is something that I'm sure the leaders will discuss," he added.

Israel has bombarded the Gaza Strip from the air and land, imposed a siege and mounted a ground offensive in retaliation for a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7.

At least 18,608 Palestinians have been killed and 50,594 injured in the Israeli onslaught since then, according to Gaza’s health authorities.

The Israeli death toll in the Hamas attack stands at 1,200, while around 139 hostages remain in captivity, according to official figures.