BRATISLAVA, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- Many European leaders on Monday called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip while repeating their support for the two-state solution.
Since Israel launched a large-scale offensive in Gaza to retaliate against a surprise attack by Hamas on the southern Israeli border on Oct. 7 last year, 41,909 Palestinians have been killed, and 97,303 others injured in Gaza, including many children and women, according to health authorities in Gaza on Monday.
On the Israeli side, Hamas' attack has killed over 1,250 Israelis and foreign nationals, with more than 250 people abducted and taken to Gaza. Many Israeli hostages haven't returned yet while some were killed in bombardment.
On Monday, the EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell described an immediate ceasefire as "the only way" to secure the release of hostages and de-escalate the "dangerous" situation in the Middle East. He reaffirmed the EU's commitment to diplomacy, stating: "The time for a ceasefire is now."
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola echoed these sentiments, affirming the parliament's unwavering calls for a ceasefire and the release of hostages.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer stressed the importance of stopping the "living nightmare" of Palestinians and vowed to use the "power of diplomacy" to minimize their suffering on the ground.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz noted the "violence and hunger" inflicted on the Palestinians in Gaza every day. He said the German government is committed to a ceasefire, the release of hostages, and the advancement of the political process, despite the immense challenges.
On social media, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez highlighted the shocking toll on civilians from the spiral of violence in Gaza, the West Bank and now Lebanon. He posted: "The situation is unbearable. The war must end now."
Addressing an official ceremony in Rome to mourn the victims of the year-long conflict, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni noted Israel's legitimate right to defend itself, while stressing the need to perform the right per international humanitarian law. "We cannot remain indifferent to the enormous toll of innocent civilian victims in Gaza," she said.
Also on Monday, Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob blamed the Israeli army for "one of the largest massacres we know in our times," condemning the killing of civilians as disproportionate to the right to self-defense, and calling for stronger international intervention.
Many European governments, including the UK, Germany, and Spain, also reaffirmed their support for a two-state solution. Starmer said a two-state solution is "the only viable long-term route through" the conflicts in the Middle East.
Countries such as Norway, Ireland, and Spain have officially recognized Palestine, following the example of several other EU members, though major powers like France and Germany have yet to do so.
However, Scholz said on Monday, in the end, a two-state solution is the only way to a peaceful coexistence of Israelis and Palestinians.
PRO-PALESTINE PROTESTS
Since the weekend, Europe has seen waves of protests demanding an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East.
In Britain, multiple demonstrations took place in several cities, with 17 arrests made after a pro-Palestinian march in London on Saturday.
In Rome, several thousand pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered on Saturday without official authorization. Clashes broke out between some protesters and police, causing some 30 law enforcement officers and three demonstrators reported injured.
Also on Saturday, thousands of people held a demonstration in Warsaw, the capital of Poland, chanting slogans like "Stop Israel's death machine!" Similar protests also took place in other Polish cities and Latvia's capital Riga. And on Monday, protests were held in front of Romania's Parliament and in Valletta, Malta. ■