EU planning backup measures against Israel if new aid accord fails

The European Union is putting together a pressure campaign against Israel in case the new aid agreements for the Gaza Strip fail, diplomats in Brussels told dpa.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has sent member states a catalogue of measures that could theoretically be used to pressure the Israeli government, the diplomats said.

These include suspending trade benefits, imposing an arms embargo, and blocking Israel's access to the EU's Horizon research funding programme.

The measures could also involve tightening entry requirements for Israeli citizens and imposing sanctions on politicians deemed responsible for the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.

The EU-Israel air transport agreement, which opened the market for direct flights between Israel and the EU, was also mentioned as a potential leverage point.

Violation of human rights principles

Kallas was tasked with drafting the catalogue of potential measures during an EU foreign ministers' meeting in June.

This followed an EU review that concluded Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip violated the principle of respect for human rights. This principle is a condition for close cooperation under an association agreement between the EU and Israel that has been in place since 2000.

Israel has been accused of severely restricting the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip in recent months. Israel has justified this by claiming that Palestinian militant organization Hamas benefits from the aid.

Agreement to improve aid delivery

On Thursday, Israel confirmed that it had agreed to a deal with the EU aimed at improving the supply of aid to the suffering civilian population in the blockaded Gaza Strip.

According to the EU, the agreement includes a significant increase in the number of daily food and aid deliveries by truck. Additionally, more border crossings to the coastal area are expected to open, and aid routes through Jordan and Egypt are to be used again.

The measures are set to take effect in the coming days, with safeguards to ensure that aid does not reach Hamas.

It remains unclear what measures might be taken if the aid agreement fails.

Some measures would require unanimous approval from all EU member states, and countries like Germany are highly critical of sanctions against Israel. However, trade-related measures could potentially be implemented by majority vote.

The war in Gaza was triggered by the attack on Israel by Hamas and other militant organizations in October 2023, in which around 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 were taken hostage.

Since then, according to the Hamas-controlled health authority in Gaza, more than 57,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks. The figure does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.