DaysofPal – European Commission Vice President Teresa Ribera has issued a sharp rebuke of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s reported plans to fully occupy the Gaza Strip, describing them as an “unacceptable provocation” and a clear violation of international norms.
In a strongly worded statement posted to social media, Ribera declared, “No excuses. The demands are simple and obvious: liberation of hostages, ceasefire, full access to humanitarian aid, full respect for human rights, transparency, and condemnation of the horrifying use of violence and starvation.”
Ribera, a senior member of Spain’s ruling Socialist Party, criticized the broader silence within European institutions, calling out Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and other EU leaders for their failure to take meaningful action amid what she described as a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.
“Europe must react and consolidate itself as a political actor … and mobilize the principles that inspired the construction of the European project,” she urged, demanding a stronger and more principled response from the bloc.
Her remarks come as Netanyahu’s government moves toward deepening its military campaign in Gaza, reportedly weighing plans to occupy the entire Strip or reoccupy central areas, including Gaza City and refugee camps, under the pretext of locating Israeli captives.
According to Israeli media, Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir presented multiple scenarios during a high-level meeting on Tuesday, with the army signaling readiness to carry out any operation approved by the security cabinet.
Across Europe, frustration is mounting over the EU’s passive stance. On Tuesday, multiple political blocs in the European Parliament issued a joint call to end what they called a “humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza, warning of credible signs of genocide.
The blocs urged the suspension of the EU-Israel partnership agreement over repeated violations of human rights and international law.
The criticism from within the EU echoes recent warnings by UN experts, who have called for a total arms embargo on Israel and the dismantling of what they describe as the “Gaza Humanitarian Foundation,” a controversial Israeli-controlled body created in February 2025 to oversee aid distribution inside the Strip.
In a scathing statement released this week, UN special rapporteurs accused Israel of using humanitarian relief as a cover for military and political objectives, stating, “Aid must be prevented or delayed, as it is a war crime aimed at starving civilians in the context of a documented and condemned genocide.”
“Seeing children dying of hunger in the arms of their parents should shake us and bring us out of our state of inaction,” they added.
The experts warned that no state accused of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity should be allowed to control humanitarian aid with impunity. They called for immediate international oversight and the restoration of UN-managed relief operations across Gaza.
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