European Parliament calls for permanent ceasefire in Gaza, demands conditions for peace News
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European Parliament calls for permanent ceasefire in Gaza, demands conditions for peace

European lawmakers adopted a resolution Thursday urging a permanent ceasefire in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. The resolution, although non-binding and symbolic, reflects the European Parliament’s stance on the matter.  This marks the first time the European Parliament has explicitly called for a permanent ceasefire in the conflict.

The original text emphasized the need for a permanent ceasefire, but conservative lawmakers introduced an amendment, demanding the dismantling of Hamas for the ceasefire to take effect. Additionally, the amendment called for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas.

The resolution garnered support from 312 votes in favor, 131 against and 72 abstentions, highlighting the divisive nature of the issue within the EU. The resolution condemns both Hamas’ “despicable terrorist attacks” against Israel and Israel’s “disproportionate” military response, which has resulted in a high civilian death toll with over 23,000 Palestinians killed. European lawmakers asserted Israel’s right to self-defense within the limits of international law, emphasizing the need to distinguish between combatants and civilians.

The resolution strongly condemned extremist settler violence and advocated for EU restrictive measures against those violating human rights and international law. Following Hamas’ October 7 attacks against Israel, the UN Human Rights Office issued a statement concerning “human rights violations” in the West Bank, which have displaced almost 1,000 Palestinians from their homes. In the period spanning from October 7, 2023, to January 4, 2024, there was a record-high Palestinian death toll in the West Bank, where over 300 Palestinians died from violence by Israeli troops or settlers.

The resolution expressed strong support for the work of the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice, calling for accountability for those responsible for terrorist acts and violations of international law.

In a broader diplomatic context, the resolution called for a European initiative to reinstate the two-state solution and supported efforts for Middle East pace. It endorsed the Arab Peace Initiative of 2002, urging the full normalization of relations between Israel and Arab states in exchange for Israel’s withdrawal from occupied territories since 1967.

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