In a speech at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed that the suffering of children and families in Gaza has touched the worlds consciousness and called for an end to the war. She affirmed that the EU will temporarily suspend all bilateral aid to Israel.
The 27-member bloc is still divided in its approach to the Israel-Plestine conflict, so it is unclear whether the package will be majority- approved.
In Doha, rescue forces continued to search after the Israeli airstrike on September 10 in response to a Hamas meeting on the US ceasefire proposal. Hamas said senior leaders were safe, but five subordinates and a Qatari security officer were killed. The incident comes as the Gaza war has entered its 23rd month, increasing diplomatic pressure on Israel.
The attack drew a wave of fierce protests: Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE condemned it; Japan also officially declared a "fermental protest" because it believed the move hindered diplomatic efforts to cease fire and exchange hostages.
Qatari President Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani held a phone call with US President Donald Trump, accusing Israel of "threatening to stabilize the region and undermining diplomatic efforts".
Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said Israel used unnored weapons, referring to long-range missiles launched from outside Qatari airspace. He also denied the US warning, saying Washington had only contacted him 10 minutes after the attack.
Qatar currently owns a patriot and THAAD defense system provided by the US, and is also the location of the Al Udeid base - the forward headquarters of the US Central Command (CENTCOM).
The attack on Doha not only threatens to disrupt Gaza ceasefire negotiations but also increases regional instability, raising questions about who would dare to mediate if even a neutral country like Qatar was attacked.
