European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced Wednesday that she will push for sanctions and a partial suspension of trade with Israel over the ongoing war in Gaza — a sharp shift for a leader long viewed as close to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The 27 EU member states remain divided on Israel-Palestine policy, casting doubt on whether the sanctions will win approval. Von der Leyen also said the Commission will suspend direct financial support to Israel, a move that does not require member state backing. She emphasized that payments to Israeli civil society and Yad Vashem will continue.
Addressing lawmakers in Strasbourg, she revealed plans to launch a new “Palestine donor group” next month to focus on reconstruction in Gaza. She condemned the humanitarian crisis, declaring: “Man-made famine can never be a weapon of war. For the sake of the children, for the sake of humanity. This must stop,”
Her remarks came a day after Israel ordered a mass evacuation of Gaza City, home to about one million people. The Israeli military says it plans to capture what it calls Hamas’ last stronghold. The evacuation notice preceded an Israeli strike targeting Hamas leaders in Qatar, where cease-fire talks remain stalled. This is the first time Israel has demanded a full evacuation of Gaza City.
The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led gunmen killed about 1,200 people in Israel and abducted 251 others. Israel’s subsequent offensive has killed more than 64,000 Palestinians, nearly half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The UN says about 90% of Gaza’s two million residents are displaced, and vast urban areas lie in ruins.
Israel has yet to respond to von der Leyen’s announcement.
