EU Presidency declaration on the Israeli attack in Gaza

The EU Presidency strongly condemns military or other violent actions directed indiscriminately against a civilian neighborhood, whether Palestinian or Israeli. There can be no justification for the high number of killed and injured as a result of last night's Israeli incursion into the El-Bureij refugee camp in Gaza. The EU Presidency expresses its sincere condolences to the bereaved Palestinian families and its wishes for recovery to those injured. While recognizing Israel's legitimate right to fight terrorism, the EU has consistently rejected Israeli methods of extra-judicial killings and house demolitions and Israel's excessive use of force. Neither this nor any other actions causing civilian casualties will bring security to the Israeli public. On the contrary, military and violent actions from both sides only serve to breed more hatred and undermine the attempts by the parties and by the international community to bring about reconciliation and a negotiated end to the conflict. The EU strongly urges militant Palestinian groups to refrain from further terror actions in the wake of this tragic incident.

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