European leaders repeat calls for Gaza ceasefire on first anniversary of Hamas attack

Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - BRUSSELS — The 7 October Hamas incursion into southern Israel left more than 1,000 people dead and sparked a year of war which has devastated much of the Gaza Strip.

There has been some early reaction from European leaders on the first anniversary of the Hamas incursion into Israel, which sparked the ongoing war in Gaza.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the Hamas attacks, which saw 1,200 Israelis killed and 250 others taken hostage, were an example of "unspeakable savagery" that could not be justified.

"The European Union stands with all the innocent people whose lives have been shattered to the core since that fateful day," she said in a statement.

She reiterated her call for a ceasefire in the Strip and the unconditional release of the Israelis still being held captive by Hamas in Gaza.

Israeli authorities say almost 100 hostages remain in Gaza, but fewer than 70 are believed to still be alive.

"One year on, the humanitarian situation in Gaza is appalling. The European Union will keep doing its utmost to mobilize financial assistance and facilitate deliveries and distribution of humanitarian aid, to the Palestinian people, and now also in Lebanon," she said.

"Hamas' terrorist attacks on Israel ignited a spiral of violence which has brought the entire region to a state of extreme tension and volatility."

In a year of fighting, more than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza but the Hamas-run health ministry doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count.

In a video posted on X, Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz regretted that "so much suffering, so many deaths" had taken place on both sides of the conflict.

"With their disgusting attack on Israel, Hamas triggered a catastrophe for the Palestinian people. The Federal Government therefore continues to persistently advocate for a ceasefire, which must finally come about so that the civilian population in the Gaza Strip can be better protected and, of course, better cared for," he said.

And in prayers at the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome, Pope Francis appealed to the Virgin Mary for help "in these times oppressed by injustice and devastated by wars."

"You who are the queen of peace, convert the minds of those who fuel hatred, silence the noise of weapons that generate death, extinguish the violence that smolders in the heart of man and inspire peace projects in the actions of those who govern the Nations," he said.

More reaction from Europe is expected throughout Monday.

Strikes on Gaza continue

On Sunday, the Israeli military announced a new air and ground offensive in Jabaliya, in northern Gaza, the site of a refugee camp dating back to the 1948 war surrounding Israel's creation.

Israel reiterated its call, from the early weeks of the war, for the complete evacuation of northern Gaza.

Up to 300,000 people are estimated to have remained in the heavily destroyed north while around a million fled to the south.

Those fresh orders have prompted thousands to flee the area, many leaving on foot, some using donkeys and carts.

"We did not do anything and they attacked us without warning, without notifying us of maps or anything else. They surprised us this time and we fled. We left with our families and children without anything, just some clothes," said camp resident Moe'n Khader.

Palestinian authorities reported heavy Israeli strikes in Gaza on Sunday, with at least 19 people killed in an attack on a central mosque.

Meanwhile, Israeli authorities have said they have put the country on high alert for potential attacks as they prepare to hold their own memorials for the victims of the 7 October Hamas attacks. — Euronews