Hamas Attacks On Israeli Civilians An 'Act Of War' - Von Der Leyen

Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission President, has strongly condemned the recent attacks by the Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israeli civilians, describing them as a "cold-blooded act of war" that represents an "ancient evil." Addressing the commencement of a meeting of European commissioners, von der Leyen emphasized the need to unambiguously label such heinous acts. She stated, "We have to be clear in defining this kind of horror, and there can only be one response to it: Europe stands with Israel, and we fully support Israel's right to defend itself." The recent deadly incursion by Hamas, where they stormed Israel's border around the Gaza enclave and launched attacks on both civilian and military targets, resulted in more than 1,200 casualties. In response, Israel launched artillery and air strikes, leading to over 900 Palestinian deaths after five days of intense fighting. Von der Leyen, on behalf of the European Union and its member states, expressed solidarity with Israel and unequivocal condemnation of Hamas's actions. She stated, "It is terrorism, and it is an act of war." While expressing outrage over the assault, the EU is also cautious about ensuring that Israel's response adheres to international law. In a moving address to the European Commission, von der Leyen said, "Hamas terrorists killed women and children in their homes. They hunted hundreds of young men and women who were celebrating life and music. They took hostage hundreds of innocents, whose fate is still unknown. These innocents were killed for one single reason: For being Jewish and living in the State of Israel. It is an ancient evil, which reminds us of the darkest past and shocks all of us to the core." Von der Leyen also acknowledged the ongoing debate within Brussels concerning the European Union's substantial financial support for the Palestinian Authority and state-building projects in Palestinian territories. Hungary's Oliver Varhelyi, the EU commissioner overseeing relations with neighboring countries, has called for a suspension of aid pending a review to ensure it does not reach armed groups like Hamas. However, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, supported by most member state foreign ministers, advocates for continued funding to avoid penalizing Palestinian civilians. Von der Leyen commented, "Our humanitarian support to the Palestinian people is not in question. Yet it is important that we carefully review our financial assistance for Palestine. EU funding has never and will never go to Hamas or any terrorist entity. So we will now again review the entire portfolio in light of an evolving situation on the ground."