EU Council President Antonio Costa warned on Friday that Israel’s recent decision to take control of Gaza City violates a July 19 agreement and will have repercussions for EU-Israel relations. He reaffirmed that the two-state solution remains the only viable path to regional stability, urging the Israeli government to reconsider its actions. Early on Friday, Israel announced a full-scale military takeover of Gaza, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel did not intend to govern the city, rather it aimed to transfer control to Arab forces. CNN reported that Tel Aviv has set an October 7 deadline for evacuating Gaza City ahead of a siege.
In a separate development, U.S. Vice President JD Vance, during a bilateral meeting with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy at Chevening House, mentioned that the U.S. has “no plans” to recognize a Palestinian state. He expressed skepticism about what recognizing such a state would mean given the dysfunctional governance in the area. Vance outlined two primary objectives for the White House: ensuring that Hamas cannot attack Israeli civilians and addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Following Israel’s announcement, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz declared that Germany will not authorize any military exports that could be utilized in Gaza until further notice. Former Israeli ambassador to Germany, Jeremy Issacharoff, noted that Israel should be alarmed by this move. Nonetheless, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office reiterated that the goal is not to occupy Gaza but to liberate it from Hamas and facilitate the establishment of a peaceful government. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer criticized Israel’s decision, labeling it “wrong” and warned that it would likely lead to further bloodshed and complicate hostage negotiations. Additionally, Australia urged Israel to reconsider its path, while countries including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Turkey, and Spain condemned Israel’s actions.
Original Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/world/israel-gaza-live-updates-gaza-takeover-plan-netanyahu-10177587/
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Publish Date: 2025-08-09 01:54:00
