EU commission president seeks sanctions, partial trade suspension
against Israel over war in Gaza
[September 10, 2025]
STRASBOURG, France (AP) — The European Commission president said
Wednesday she would seek sanctions and a partial trade suspension
against Israel over the war in Gaza, an announcement that marked a sharp
turnaround for Ursula von der Leyen, a longtime supporter of Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The 27-nation EU is deeply divided in its approach to Israel and the
Palestinians, and it’s unclear whether a majority will be found to
endorse the sanctions and trade measures.
Von der Leyen added that the commission “will set up a Palestine donor
group next month,” part of which will focus on Gaza’s future
reconstruction. She said the events in Gaza and the suffering of
children and families “has shaken the conscience of the world.”
The Gaza Health Ministry says 126 Palestinians, including 26 children,
have died of causes related to malnutrition since international experts
announced famine in Gaza City on Aug. 22.
“Man-made famine can never be a weapon of war. For the sake of the
children, for the sake of humanity. This must stop,” Von der Leyen said
Wednesday, to applause in the European Parliament at its meeting in
Strasbourg, France.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, in a social media post, said Von
der Leyen had succumbed to pressures that undermine Israel-Europe
relations. He said her actions will embolden Hamas.
Warning Gaza City residents to evacuate
Von der Leyen’s comments followed Israel’s military warning on Tuesday
to Gaza City residents to evacuate ahead of its plans to take control of
what it portrays as Hamas’ last remaining stronghold and where hundreds
of thousands of people remain under conditions of famine.
An estimated 1 million Palestinians — around half of Gaza’s overall
population — live in the area of north Gaza around Gaza City, according
to the Israeli military and the United Nations. Many are exhausted from
moving multiple times and unsure if traveling south will be safer.
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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivers a major
state of the union speech at the European Parliament in Strasbourg,
eastern France, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Pascal Bastien)
The warning came on Tuesday ahead of an Israeli strike targeting
Hamas’ leaders in Qatar, where negotiations over ending the war in
Gaza appeared at a standstill. The warnings directed at Gaza City
are the first calling for a full evacuation.
EU Commission plans to freeze Israel support
Von der Leyen also said she plans to freeze support to Israel given
by the European Union’s executive branch, which would not require
the approval of the 27 member countries.
It was not immediately clear how much financial support the
executive branch, known as the European Commission, provides to
Israel and what it is used for.
“We will put our bilateral support to Israel on hold. We will stop
all payments in these areas, without affecting our work with Israeli
civil society or Yad Vashem,” the Holocaust memorial, von der Leyen
told EU lawmakers.
The commission also gives support to the Palestinian Authority.
War nears its 2-year anniversary
The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants abducted 251 people
on Oct. 7, 2023, and killed some 1,200 people, mostly Israeli
civilians. Forty-eight hostages are still held inside Gaza, around
20 of them believed to be alive.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed more than 64,000
Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry,
which is under Gaza’s Hamas government, does not differentiate
between civilians and combatants but says around half of those
killed were women and children. The U.N. and other international
organizations see its figures as the most reliable statistics on war
casualties.
Large parts of major cities in Gaza have been completely destroyed
and around 90% of some 2 million Palestinians have been displaced.
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