EU, U.Ok. ask Israel to rethink escalation in Gaza as Germany suspends some arms exports to Israel

European governments, on Friday (August 8, 2025), pushed again in opposition to the Israeli cabinet’s approval of a plan to take over Gaza City. The U.K. and E.U. called for Tel Aviv to “reconsider” its move and Germany said it would not export arms to Israel that may very well be used within the Gaza Strip.

Following a gathering of Mr Netanyahu’s cupboard, the Israeli authorities authorized a plan early on Friday (August 8, 2025), for Israel to take over Gaza Metropolis. The Cupboard’s plan to finish the struggle would additionally embrace Israel managing the safety of all the Gaza Strip.

“The Israeli authorities’s resolution to additional prolong its army operation in Gaza should be reconsidered,” European Fee President Ursula Von der Leyen mentioned in an announcement on social media web site X, as she known as for a right away ceasefire.

“On the identical time, there should be the discharge of all hostages, who’re being held in inhumane circumstances,” she mentioned referring to the hostages taken by Hamas in October 2023.

The EU chief govt mentioned humanitarian assist should attain Gaza instantly and never be obstructed. The actions Israel is endeavor in Gaza “appears very a lot” like Genocide, European Fee Govt Vice President Teresa Ribera instructed media outlet Politico on Thursday.

U.K Prime Minister Keir Starmer criticized Israel’s decision to escalate its offensive in Gaza on Friday (August 8, 2025) asking the federal government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “rethink” his authorities’s resolution to take management of all the Gaza strip.

“The Israeli Authorities’s resolution to additional escalate its offensive in Gaza is fallacious, and we urge it to rethink instantly,” Mr Starmer mentioned.

“Day-after-day the humanitarian disaster in Gaza worsens and hostages taken by Hamas are being held in appalling and inhuman circumstances. What we want is a ceasefire, a surge in humanitarian assist, the discharge of all hostages by Hamas and a negotiated answer,” Mr Starmer added, reiterating his authorities’s place that Hamas couldn’t be permitted to play any function within the governance of Gaza and should disarm and exit the world.

The U.K. had announced on July 29 that it would recognize a Palestinian state in September on the United Nations Normal Meeting (UNGA) if Israel didn’t act to finish the humanitarian disaster in Gaza.

French President Emmanuel Macron had introduced on July 24 that France would acknowledge the state of Palestine on the UNGA session in September. With this, France grew to become the primary G7 nation to decide to recognizing a Palestinian state.

Germany, which has a very shut relationship with Israel because of its distinctive accountability for the Holocaust, mentioned it was stopping the export of arms to Israel that may very well be used within the Gaza Strip. Germany is the second largest provider of arms to Israel after the U.S. The resolution nevertheless didn’t seem to dam a sale of all German arms to Israel.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz mentioned Israel had a proper to defend itself in opposition to Hamas, and that the highest priorities had been the discharge of hostages and a ceasefire (which didn’t contain Hamas governing Gaza). Israel’s newest resolution to escalate its offensive weren’t useful to those targets, Mr Merz instructed.

“The brand new army push agreed by the Israeli safety cupboard makes it more and more unclear how these targets are to be achieved,” he mentioned. Germany additionally known as on Israel to not take any steps to annex the West Financial institution.