FAMAGUSTA GAZETTE – The European Union on Thursday condemned the breakdown of the Gaza ceasefire, voicing concern over escalating violence and its severe humanitarian toll.
In a statement, the EU Council criticized Hamas for refusing to release remaining hostages and urged an “immediate return” to the ceasefire agreement. It stressed the importance of fully implementing the deal to ensure hostages’ release and achieve a lasting truce.
The collapse follows disputes over the agreement’s second phase, which required Israel’s withdrawal and Hamas’s release of hostages. Instead, negotiations stalled, and deadly airstrikes in Gaza early Tuesday shattered nearly two months of calm, reigniting fears of prolonged conflict.