European diplomats discuss deal with Israel to increase Gaza aid

BRUSSELS AP Europe s top diplomats are assessing a new deal with Israel to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza according to Kaja Kallas the European Union s foreign plan chief Foreign ministers from the EU s -member nations are meeting Tuesday in Brussels in the wake of a new aid deal for Gaza largely forged by Kallas and Israeli foreign minister Gideon Saar who met with EU leaders on Monday to allow desperately needed food and fuel into the coastal enclave of million people who have endured more than months of war We have reached a common understanding with Israel to really improve the situation on the ground but it s not about the paper but certainly implementation of the paper Kallas commented before the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council As long as it hasn t really improved then we haven t all done enough she commented before calling for a ceasefire European nations like Ireland and Spain have increasingly called for the EU s ties with Israel to be reassessed in the wake of the war in Gaza A account by the Commission located indications that Israel s actions in Gaza are violating human rights obligations in the agreement governing its ties with the EU but the block is divided over what to do in response That constituents pressure over Israel s conduct that sparked a review of the EU s Association Agreement with Israel might ve led Israel to reach an agreement explained an EU diplomat speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the deal The humanitarian deal declared last week shows that the association agreement review and use of EU leverage has worked the diplomat stated The war began after Hamas attacked Israel in killing around people and taking others hostage majority of of whom have been distributed in earlier ceasefires Israel responded with an offensive that has killed more than Palestinians more than half of them women and children according to Gaza s Strength Ministry The ministry which is under Gaza s Hamas-run executive doesn t differentiate between civilians and combatants The U N and other international organizations see its figures as the the greater part reliable statistics on war casualties Kallas explained the ministers will also discuss Iran s nuclear undertaking concerns over developments in Georgia and Moldova and new sanctions on Russia The EU is readying its th package of sanctions on Russia with holdouts within the bloc arguing over the keystone initiative of capping oil prices to cut into Moscow s potency revenues She welcomed the news from Washington that U S President Donald Trump will allow the EU to pay for American weapons to be sent to Ukraine a stunning reversal of protocol after he previously antagonized European allies while sending overtures to Moscow The plan is designed to allow the U S to funnel more firepower to Ukraine to combat invading Russian forces during their summer military offensive while easing Washington s financial burden Increased weapons shipments combined with doable new penalties Trump has promised if a halt to the fighting isn t reached in days could push Russian President Vladimir Putin into peace talks that Trump has championed for months so far with little to show for it Source