EU foreign policy chief urges Israel to improve Gaza humanitarian situation, says bloc ready to act

The EU foreign policy chief urged Israel on Tuesday to take concrete steps to improve the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, warning that the bloc is prepared to respond if Israel fails to meet its pledges.

Speaking at a Brussels press conference following an EU foreign ministers' meeting, Kaja Kallas said the bloc will closely monitor Israel's implementation of agreed pledges, with compliance updates every two weeks. She stressed that a ceasefire and the release of hostages remain top priorities for EU officials.

"At the request of the European Council, I also presented (foreign) ministers an inventory of different measures that could be taken in relation to the review done in June. So we had a discussion on this, and these are choices that the member states have to make. We will keep these options on the table and stand ready to act if Israel does not live up to its pledges," she said.

"The aim is not to punish Israel. The aim is to really improve the situation in Gaza," she added.

On Gaza's dire humanitarian situation, Kallas noted progress following a recent EU-Israel aid agreement, with more aid trucks entering and electricity repairs underway, adding: "But Israel needs to take more concrete steps to improve the humanitarian situation."

She also reiterated bloc's stance against Iran acquiring nuclear weapons, emphasizing diplomacy as the best long-term approach, adding: "Ministers urged immediately to restart the talks and allow also the United Nations inspectors back in. So the European Union is ready to negotiate."

- Ukraine, Trump, Georgia

Kallas also condemned Russia's escalating bombing campaign in Ukraine, saying it has hit record levels.

"And we see increasing use of banned chemical weapons by Russia in Ukraine. All this shows that Russia does not want peace, and in response, the EU is set to prove one of its toughest sanctions packages against Russia," she said.

Kallas expressed disappointment that EU member states failed to reach an agreement on the bloc's latest sanctions package on Russia. She noted that the European Commission had met the conditions requested by Slovakia, which has yet to give its approval.

"The commission has delivered what was asked for. Now the ball is in Slovakia's court," she said.

Kallas voiced optimism about a decision expected after technical discussions on Wednesday, highlighting the complexity of aligning 27 EU member states with diverse opinions.

She also welcomed the announcement by US President Donald Trump to send more weapons to Ukraine, stressing the need for a shared financial burden between the US, Europe, and Canada.

"We are doing as much as we can to help Ukraine. And therefore the call is that everybody would do the same... If you promise to give the weapons, but say that somebody else who is going to pay for it is not really given by you, is it?" she added.

On Georgia, Kallas said the foreign ministers condemned "democratic backsliding" in the Caucasus country, discussing measures including the suspension of visa-free travel, its association agreement with the EU, and sanctions to hold the country accountable.