UPDATE - EU foreign policy chief slams Israeli official's call to cut off aid to Gaza, says bloc should consider sanctions

ADDS REMARKS FROM UN RAPPORTEUR ON PALESTINE, EDITS THROUGHOUT; REVISES HEADLINE, DECK

By Nur Asena Erturk

ANKARA (AA) – EU foreign policy chief blasted far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s threat to cut off fuel and humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza, linking it to "war crimes" and suggesting the EU must consider sanctions on Tel Aviv.

“While the World pushes for a ceasefire in #Gaza, Min. Ben Gvir calls for cutting fuel & aid to civilians,” Josep Borrell wrote on X late Sunday, criticizing his remarks as “incitement to war crimes,” and saying “sanctions must be on our EU agenda.”

“I urge the Israeli government to unequivocally distance itself from these incitements to commit war crimes, and call it to engage in good faith in the negotiations facilitated by the U.S., Qatar and Egypt for an immediate ceasefire,” he added.

Also on X, Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on Palestine, on Monday decried what she called “Israel's shocking loss of moral compass.”

“Genocidal statements (i.e evoking/inciting to the destruction of a group in whole or in part, as such) have been common post Oct7 among Israeli public officials, including Israel's President, Prime Minister, Minister of Defence,” she wrote.

Albanese said that despite the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) request for an "immediate investigation" of such statements in January, “impunity has continued to reign, and loss of innocents' life gone on.”

Earlier on Sunday, Ben-Gvir called any possible cease-fire and prisoner swap deal with Hamas a “grave mistake.”

“If we cut off their fuel, within a week they would be on their knees. And if we stop the (aid) trucks, within two weeks they would be on their knees. So why are we going to do a deal, especially such an irresponsible deal?” he said.

For months, Egypt, Qatar, and the US have led indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas, but no agreement has been reached due to Israel’s refusal to meet Hamas’ demands to end the war, withdraw troops from Gaza, and allow displaced Palestinians to return to northern Gaza.

Israel has continued a devastating military offensive in the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.

Nearly 40,000 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 92,000 injured, according to local health authorities.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which ordered it to immediately halt its military operation in the southern city of Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.