Gaza conflict overshadows EU-Southern Neighbourhood talks in Brussels

Foreign ministers from Egypt and Israel joined EU officials in Brussels on Monday for the fifth EU-Southern Neighbourhood Ministerial Meeting. It was the first such gathering since the October 7 Hamas attacks and the subsequent Israeli military response in Gaza.

The conflict in the Middle East dominated the high-level talks. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar accused Hamas of blocking humanitarian aid to civilians. “Hamas is trying to stop people from getting the aid directly because they want to be the mediators,” he said. “That’s how it became a financial resource for Hamas in the Gaza Strip.”

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty offered a starkly different perspective. “Every day now, more than 100 civilians in Gaza are being killed,” he said. “Their only crime is waiting for food to survive. It is shameful for us to accept this happening daily.” He called the humanitarian crisis “awful,” citing starvation, ongoing attacks, and the urgent need for international action.

Meanwhile, In a significant diplomatic step, the EU is set to deepen its cooperation with Israel, and nine southern neighbors, including Syria and Libya. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar appeared unfazed when asked about reports the European Union is weighing up potential actions in response to allegations that Israel is breaching the EU-Israel Association Agreement, including suspending visa free travel and blocking imports from the Jewish settlements.