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In solidarity with Israel, Italy, France, Germany call for EU sanctions against Hamas

Monday, 11 December 2023 3:35 PM [ Last Update: Monday, 11 December 2023 4:27 PM ]

Palestinians search building rubble for survivors following Israeli strikes on a refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip on December 11, 2023. (AFP)

Italy, France and Germany have called on the European Union to impose sanctions against the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas and its supporters in solidarity with Israel.

In a joint letter to EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, the foreign ministers of the three biggest countries of the European Union demanded that the EU take “all necessary measures against Hamas and its supporters.”

Part of the letter included “a sanctions regime against Hamas leaders in solidarity with Israel and in order to counter the group's operations.”

“This implies a stronger European commitment both to combating Hamas' infrastructure and financial support, and to isolating and delegitimizing Hamas internationally.”

The EU has already added Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif and the Gaza chief Yahya Sinwar to its black list.

In November, the three European countries had proposed new sanctions targeting Hamas in a non-official EU document. “It is important to step up engagement to isolate Hamas internationally and delegitimize narrative of Hamas as ‘defender of the (just) Palestinian cause,’” the three-page document included.

Israel using same carnage tactics in south Gaza as in north: Top EU diplomat

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell warns that the southern part of Gaza faces a ‘dark prospect’ amid Israel’s relentless bombing campaign.

In October, Washington imposed sanctions against what was labeled ten key members of Hamas based in Gaza, Sudan, Turkey, Algeria and Qatar.

But opinion polls show most Americans and Europeans back an end to Israel’s Western-backed atrocities in the besieged Gaza Strip.

So far this year, the US and its European allies have provided Israel with an array of various types of weaponry. The specifics of the military assistance have been kept secret. Experts believe the arms are likely being used extensively by Israeli forces against the Palestinians in Gaza.

Israel is the single largest recipient of US military assistance.

The regime ignited its bloody war machine in Gaza on October 7. The hostilities erupted after Hamas launched its surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against Israel. The move was in response to the decades-long reign of Israeli oppression in the occupied territories.

Israel has killed nearly 18,000 people, a huge number of whom children, in Gaza since that October day.

The Palestinian Health Ministry says there is no safe place to go in Gaza.

In the occupied West Bank, Palestinians were on a general strike on Monday in solidarity with their compatriots in the Gaza Strip.

People in Lebanon also observed a day of strike in condemnation of Washington’s recent veto of a UN Security Council resolution for ceasefire.

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