‘All options on the table’ – EU threatens Israel over aid flow

European Union’s chief diplomat cites Hamas accusations of IDF soldiers killing Gazans waiting for humanitarian aid, hints at sanctions to punish Israel over flow of relief.

By World Israel News Staff

The European Union on Tuesday hinted it would sanction Israel over the delivery of humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip, despite Israeli rebuttals of Hamas claims the IDF has targeted civilians at aid distribution sites.

On Tuesday, European Union foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas took to X to warn that the EU would consider “all options” against Israel should it fail to uphold an understanding reached between the two countries earlier this month.

“The killing of civilians seeking aid in Gaza is indefensible,” Kallas tweeted.

“I spoke again with Gideon Sa’ar to recall our understanding on aid flow and made clear that IDF must stop killing people at distribution points. All options remain on the table if Israel doesn’t deliver on its pledges.”

Kallas spoke with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar during a summit in Brussels last week, during which Sa’ar lobbied the EU not to back efforts by some member states to sanction Israel and to downgrade ties with the Jewish state.

During his meeting with Kallas, Sa’ar defended Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip, pushing back on accusations that the IDF has targeted civilians waiting outside aid sites, and claims that Israel has limited the flow of humanitarian aid.

The two agreed that Israel is committed to facilitating safe access to humanitarian aid for Gaza civilians and to allowing large-scale crossings into Gaza of EU-funded aid convoys with minimal interference.

Criticism of Israel’s relief policy has focused heavily on the use of an alternative mechanism for aid distribution, relying on the US-based Gaza Humanitarian Fund to hand out goods to civilians at four depots operated inside the Israeli security perimeter.

Israel has said the system prevents Hamas from seizing the aid, thus weakening the terror group.

But Hamas’ health ministry has claimed dozens of Gazans have starved to death in the past few weeks, and hundreds more have been killed by IDF gunfire outside of aid depots.

Israel has rejected both claims, noting that there is no famine inside the Gaza Strip, while the IDF has found no evidence of soldiers carrying out the mass shootings alleged by Hamas.

In contrast, the GHF has accused Hamas of instigating violence and deadly stampede’s outside the group’s aid sites.

Kallas and Sa’ar spoke by phone Tuesday, during which Kallas related her concerns over reports of violence at GHF depots, calling on Israel to ensure it is in compliance with the understandings reached in Brussels.

After their call, Sa’ar responded to Kallas’ tweet Tuesday, pushing back on Hamas-backed accusations of mass shootings at aid sites.

“Spoke with EU High Rep. for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas about the situation in Gaza. I told her that Hamas is waging a campaign of lies, while deliberately creating friction between the civilian population, the aid distribution centers and the IDF.”

“Hamas is the one shooting civilians and torturing them when they try to collect the aid. While Israel said Yes to hostage deal and ceasefire – Hamas is dragging its feet and sabotaging the negotiations, while continuing cruelly to hold our hostages. The international community must not fall into Hamas’s trap!”