Amnesty International condemned the EU on Thursday for refusing to condemn Israel’s recent airstrikes in Gaza, calling it “another shameful attempt to justify Israel’s genocide and war crimes against Palestinians.”

In response to a statement from the European Council, the director of Amnesty International’s European Institutions Office, Eve Geddie, observed that the EU refused to name Israel in its statement on the new airstrikes that broke the ceasefire in Gaza, and the ongoing blockade of humanitarian aid. Geddie contended that the refusal “not only fails to reflect the EU’s professed commitment to international law, but also demonstrates selective compassion towards victims, particularly when they are Palestinian.” 

The European Council expressed regrets that day about the latest development in Gaza. However, the statement only urged Hamas to release all hostages. There was no mention of Israel in the entire statement, nor of the more than 4,000 Palestinians detained in Israel without charges or trial.

The statement also refused to attribute to Israel the airstrikes, which killed 404 individuals and injured hundreds of others, and the blockade of humanitarian aid. Relatedly, the UN human rights chief expressed that “Israel’s resort to yet more military force will only heap further misery upon a Palestinian population already suffering catastrophic conditions.”

Amnesty International remains highly critical of the Israel Defense Force and the retribution against the Palestinian people, publishing a report accusing Israel of genocide.

Amnesty International’s allegations include Israel decimating the infrastructure in Palestine, eliminating the agricultural production system and intentionally targeting civilians. Furthermore, Amnesty International has criticized Israel for criminalizing UNRAW and other humanitarian aid.

In July 2024, the International Court of Justice held that Israel’s violations of norms are “the concern of all States.” These norms include the obligation to respect the right to self-determination and the prohibition of the use of force to acquire territory. The court held that third-party states are under an international obligation to ensure Israel’s illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is brought to an end.