Europe Criticism of Israel's Gaza offensive - New negotiations
Israel's new major offensive in the Gaza Strip against the Islamist Hamas is being met with international criticism and concern.
18.05.2025, 05:21
SDA
The start of a new ground offensive is cause for "deep concern" - both with regard to Israel's strategic goals and the humanitarian situation in the coastal area, said a spokesperson for the German Foreign Office in Berlin. EU Council President António Costa expressed his "shock" and appealed to both parties to the conflict on Platform X: The "violence must stop!"
UN Secretary-General: Situation in Gaza more than inhumane
"The Israeli government must lift the blockade now and ensure safe, fast and unhindered access for humanitarian aid," demanded Costa. "An entire people is being attacked with overwhelming, disproportionate military force. International law is being systematically violated." A lasting ceasefire and "the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages" are more urgent than ever. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres wrote that the situation for the Palestinians in Gaza was more than inhumane. The blockade of humanitarian aid "must be ended immediately".
Israel's military had announced the start of a new major attack in Gaza the night before. It had begun to carry out "extensive attacks and mobilize troops in order to gain operational control in areas of the Gaza Strip". According to Palestinian reports, many more people have been killed and injured since then. The information from the Palestinian territory could not initially be independently verified.
Israel's defense minister: Hamas wants to negotiate
According to the Israeli government, the new large-scale offensive is already having an effect. "With the start of Operation Gideon's Chariots in the Gaza Strip, which the army is carrying out with great force, the Hamas delegation in Doha announced a return to negotiations on a hostage agreement," announced Defense Minister Israel Katz. The Islamist organization confirmed a new round of talks with Israel in the Qatari capital Doha.
The negotiations under Qatari and US mediation were taking place without preconditions and were not based on earlier Israeli proposals, said senior official Mahmud Mardawi. However, there are still many points of contention. Even if Hamas offered to release more hostages, Israel would not end the war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently emphasized. A temporary ceasefire is possible, but not a permanent end to the fighting.
Relatives fear for the fate of the hostages
Relatives fear that this could mean death for the remaining hostages. In several Israeli cities, people once again took to the streets to demand the release of the hostages.
According to Israeli sources, at least 20 hostages are still being held alive in the Gaza Strip. The status of three other abductees is unclear. In addition, the mortal remains of 35 abductees are in the coastal area. According to unconfirmed Israeli and Arab media reports, a one- to two-month ceasefire is being discussed in Doha. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to Netanyahu on the phone.
The two spoke about the situation in Gaza and their joint efforts to secure the release of all remaining hostages, according to a spokeswoman for the US State Department. The USA is Israel's most important arms supplier. However, it was recently unclear whether the negotiations in the Qatari capital would break down again and whether the delegations from Israel and Hamas would withdraw.
The Gaza war was triggered by the worst massacre in Israel's history, carried out by Hamas and other terrorist groups on October 7, 2023. Around 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 were taken hostage in the Gaza Strip. According to the Hamas-controlled health authority, more than 53,100 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the start of the subsequent war. The figure does not distinguish between fighters and civilians and is almost impossible to verify independently.
