Overview

• Brussels clarified that Vice President Teresa Ribera spoke in a personal capacity when she referred to a “genocide in Gaza” and that the Commission holds no institutional position on the term.
• Israel rejected Ribera’s wording as biased, with the foreign ministry accusing her of echoing Hamas propaganda and urging focus on hostage release and disarmament of Hamas.
• The IDF says it holds operative control over about 40% of Gaza City and plans to expand operations, as humanitarian concerns and high reported casualty figures persist.
• EU countries remain split over proposed measures such as curbing research cooperation with Israeli entities, and Germany maintains a targeted halt on weapons usable in Gaza that Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul deems sufficient for now.
• Mediation efforts continue without a breakthrough, with Israeli media reporting a meeting in Paris between US envoy Steve Witkoff and Qatari representatives and families of hostages urging a return to negotiations.