EU Under Fire for ‘Betraying’ Gaza as Sanctions Stall

The European Union is under fierce criticism, lambasted by Amnesty International and other human rights groups, for declining to take decisive action, including sanctions, against Israel amid escalating violence in Gaza and the West Bank.

Critics describe the EU’s failure as a “cruel and unlawful betrayal” of Palestinian rights and European ideals.

During a tense ministerial meeting in Brussels on Tuesday, EU foreign ministers reviewed a list of ten possible sanctions options.

The options ranged from slashing the EU‑Israel Association Agreement to arms embargoes and targeted visa bans.

However, no measure gathered enough support to move forward

Amnesty International’s secretary‑general, Agnès Callamard, issued a scathing rebuke.

She said the refusal to suspend the pact with Israel constitutes a betrayal of the “European project and vision, predicated on upholding international law… and the human rights of Palestinians.”

According to her, it was “one of the most disgraceful moments in the EU’s history”

Human Rights Watch echoed the condemnation.

Claudio Francavilla, its acting EU director, criticized the ministers for “trading away” accountability for the promise of limited humanitarian aid

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, while acknowledging the “catastrophic” humanitarian collapse in Gaza, emphasized that sanctions remain on the table.

She highlighted a recent agreement with Israel to significantly increase humanitarian aid trucks into Gaza, from just a trickle to around 80 per day.

However she conceded that much of the aid is still not reaching civilians

Despite that agreement, last weekend alone saw a reported 139 people killed, many among food‑or‑water queues run by an Israeli‑backed aid group.

More than 850 Palestinians have reportedly died while waiting for aid since May

Kallas confirmed ministers reviewed all ten sanction options but deferred the decision to member states, reiterating that any move is aimed not at punishing Israel, but at alleviating Gaza’s suffering.

She pledged to monitor implementation closely, with updates slated every two weeks

Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar, said the EU’s inaction was expected and completely justified, dismissing calls for sanctions

Meanwhile, EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid, Hadja Lahbib, took a more urgent tone, urging immediate Israeli compliance with the aid agreement: “Stop killing people… Every minute lost is a life lost,” she warned .

Inside the EU, member state positions remain deeply divided.

Germany, Hungary, and the Czech Republic were openly opposed to any sanctions, particularly after the new aid pledge.

Hungary continues to veto separate attempts to sanction Israeli settlers in the West Bank.

Spain stood alone in parliament, supporting a full suspension of the Association Agreement

Diplomatic sources have confirmed the EU’s own monitoring report flagged indications that Israel has breached its human rights obligations under Article 2 of the Association Agreement.

But the requirement of unanimity among all 27 EU countries has rendered serious action impossible

Legal analysis suggests the EU could withdraw certain trade advantages via qualified‑majority vote, bypassing the need for full unanimity.

However, such options were not pursued in Brussels

The failure to act comes despite 2.1 million Gazans facing famine-level water shortages, collapsed infrastructure, and a mounting death toll.

The EU mediates that it will reassess the situation in October, hoping to trigger tougher measures if Israel defaults on its commitments

In sum, this EU summit exposed deep fractures in European solidarity, and left Gaza in crisis.

Many are calling the decision—and its timing—a moral low point in the bloc’s modern history.

For Diaspora Digital Media Updates click on Whatsapp, or Telegram. For eyewitness accounts/ reports/ articles, write to: citizenreports@diasporadigitalmedia.com. Follow us on X (Fomerly Twitter) or Facebook