The Gaza summit is important to “give hope to millions of Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, and abroad” and to “bring an end to the terrible suffering we have all witnessed over the past year and a half,” EU Council President António Costa said ahead of the meeting.
Costa was expected to reaffirm the EU’s full commitment to contributing to peace in the Middle East as well as the bloc’s support for a two-state solution at the Cairo gathering.
The European Union firmly rejects any attempt at demographic or territorial changes in Gaza, in other parts of the world, or anywhere else.
Costa reiterated the EU’s support for the ceasefire between the Palestinina militant organization Hamas and Israel at a meeting with Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, in Cairo on Monday evening.
“The EU urges all parties to make every effort to uphold the ceasefire and hostages’ release deal,” Costa said after meeting Abbas.
“Humanitarian aid must be delivered immediately, safely, and unhindered to Gaza. We call on all parties to re-engage with the mediators on the talks for the second phase of the deal,” he added.
