Public opinion and NGOs are calling for a more principled and firm EU position on Gaza, but the effectiveness of political unity will depend on its ability to overcome internal obstacles and turn words into concrete actions.
Following the conclusion of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and the militant Islamist group "Hamas" with US mediation, the European Union is under increasing pressure to reconsider its role in the Middle East. The European Commission and Parliament have expressed their readiness to move from a provider of humanitarian aid to a more active political actor in the post-war reconstruction and governance of the Gaza Strip.
The EU member states, which have been deeply divided since the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023, are now hoping to regain their leading role in implementing the Gaza peace plan.
"Securing peace in Gaza will be extremely complex", said European High Representative Kaia Kallas on Monday. "The success of the peace plan will require significant international support," she stressed, adding that Europe wants to contribute fully to the ceasefire plan.
Encouragement and an attempt to gain a seat at the negotiating table
At an official meeting on October 13 in Egypt, the heads of state of the United States, Qatar, Egypt and Turkey signed a document aimed at consolidating the ceasefire based on US President Donald Trump's 20-point plan. "Together, we will implement this agreement in a way that ensures peace, security, stability and opportunities for all peoples in the region, both Palestinians and Israelis." The specific measures to achieve this goal were not explained.
EU leaders have openly welcomed the ceasefire plan. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa praised the efforts and stressed the importance of a lasting ceasefire. Von der Leyen said the EU would continue to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza quickly and safely. "And when the time comes, we will be ready to help with the recovery and reconstruction."
Gaza's recovery will be expensive: estimates suggest that more than 55 million tonnes of rubble will have to be removed from the coastline, said Jacques Sillier of the United Nations Development Programme in Jerusalem. Over the next three years, the cost of this clean-up could rise to €17 billion.
The EU has long supported the implementation of a two-state solution, Palestine and Israel, as the only possible option for establishing lasting peace in the Middle East. But to achieve this, the Palestinian Authority, which is currently very weak, needs to regain its credibility. The EU is committed to helping reform it.
Bulgarian President Rumen Radev sees the ceasefire plan as an opportunity for the EU: "This is where Europe has the opportunity to play a key role and make a significant contribution to the rapid and full implementation of this plan. We are firmly convinced of the need to adopt a two-state solution as the only reliable path to a lasting solution to the conflict and the establishment of a just and sustainable peace in the Middle East".
Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar said that Bratislava's diplomacy "will continue to strengthen humanitarian aid efforts and will politically support peacekeeping."
Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon stressed that while the first part of the US peace plan for Gaza has been successfully implemented, it is important to be aware of the "fragile situation and dilemmas" that need to be taken into account during the negotiations on the second phase of the plan. She noted that the amount of humanitarian aid currently reaching the devastated Gaza Strip is still insufficient.
Obstacles at the border
Caution is not unfounded, as shown by the delays in resuming the EU civilian mission monitoring the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt. Although its deployment was initially scheduled for Wednesday this week, it was delayed because Israel insisted that "Hamas" hand over the remaining dead hostages it still holds.
The EU mission remains on standby and will be deployed at the Rafah crossing as soon as conditions allow, a spokesman for Kallas said in Brussels.
The EU Border Support Mission in Gaza (EBSM) was established in 2005 to assist in monitoring the crossing point in southern Gaza. Its activities were suspended two years after "Hamas" took control of the enclave.
Rafah is the only border crossing in the Strip that does not pass directly through Israeli territory and remains closed to passengers. Direct aid deliveries from Egypt to Gaza are also not possible for now. Trucks carrying humanitarian supplies enter from the Egyptian side and are diverted to Israeli border crossings.
The European Border Monitoring Mission aims to provide a neutral third-party presence at key crossing points and includes police units from Italy, Spain and France. It was redeployed in January this year, but disbanded again in March.
Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said he had authorized the resumption of operations by Italian participants in the mission to open the border crossing under the same conditions as in January.
The German government is also laying the groundwork for possible participation in a future mission.
Expanding the European role
The European Union, which is the main donor of humanitarian aid to the Palestinians, also intends to contribute to the reconstruction of Gaza. Brussels has already provided more than 550 million euros to Palestine since 7 October 2023. In April, the Commission announced a multiannual programme for the reconstruction of Palestine, worth €1.6 billion and covering the period from 2025 to 2027.
The Commission has expressed its readiness to go beyond humanitarian aid to engage in transitional governance arrangements in Gaza after the ceasefire. This will include using existing EU missions for border security, police training and institutional capacity building.
"We are ready to contribute to their success with all available means", said von der Leyen of the peace plan, "including by providing support for the governance and reform of the Palestinian Authority."
The EU has also expressed its intention to join the Peace Board, which will oversee the reconstruction and reconstruction of Gaza, reflecting the desire for a more centralised political role. "We believe that Europe has an important role and that we will also have to be part of it", Kaia Kallas announced last week. "I think that Europe should not only pay, but also act", she added during a visit to Kuwait.
Earlier this week, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez gave the green light to the sending of Spanish soldiers to ensure peace in Gaza after the ceasefire. Interviewed by Spanish radio station "Cadena SER", Sánchez said that it was still unclear how security in Gaza would be achieved. "However, if it comes to an international contingent with soldiers deployed to guarantee peace, Spain would like to participate and have an "active presence" - not only in the reconstruction of the enclave, but also in peacekeeping."
French President Emmanuel Macron said that France would not participate in the peacekeeping force that will be formed in Gaza, but indicated in the meantime that the Europeans would redouble their efforts to train Palestinian police in the strip.
Political concerns
It is still not clear whether the peace agreement will lead to a lasting cessation of hostilities. The details are to be discussed during the second phase of the ceasefire plan. The peace remains fragile, and the first cracks have already appeared.
There are concerns given the statements of "Hamas" that it is determined to fight Israel. The Slovak foreign minister indicated that the refusals of "Hamas" to lay down arms are worrying.
German Foreign Minister Johann Waddeful also stressed that "Hamas" must be disarmed and not allowed to exercise political influence. "It is up to the Palestinians to break away from this organization," he told a German television channel.
The question of the governance of the Gaza Strip is seen as one of the most important factors in whether the situation in the blockaded coastal strip can stabilize after two years of war. A power vacuum could plunge the enclave into even greater chaos or even civil war.
Israel and the United States have insisted that "Hamas" should have no role in a future government in Gaza.
Macron said France could play a "very special role" in embedding the Palestinian Authority in a future governing structure in Gaza, emphasizing Palestinian participation in this process.
A spokeswoman for Kaia Kallas in Brussels said all parties were urged to exercise restraint and refrain from any actions that could jeopardize the ceasefire. "The EU reaffirms that "Hamas" should have no role in the future administration of the Gaza Strip."
Recent reports of clashes between members of "Hamas" and armed clan groups have alarmed the EU. "The European Union is concerned about reports indicating that clashes between "Hamas" and members of the groups have resulted in several casualties," Kallas's spokeswoman said.
It is also reported that "Hamas" relentlessly pursues individuals accused of complicity with Israel.
What will be done with Bibi?
There is also no single opinion in the EU regarding the role of the Israeli government in the conflict and that of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. These differences have often forced the Union to rely on statements by High Representative Kallas or individual member states rather than on unified EU positions, which limits the effectiveness of the union as a political actor.
For example, Germany, which had long been adamant in its support, has slowly adopted a more balanced position, emphasizing its concern for the suffering of the civilian population. In August this year, the German government undertook a significant change in approach when it announced that it would no longer export ammunition that could be used in the war in Gaza.
Spain maintains a much more distant position regarding the Israeli government. Prime Minister Sanchez stressed that a ceasefire had been achieved and that it now had to be consolidated in order to achieve a definitive peace.
He therefore pointed out that the measures taken by his government against Israel, such as the arms export ban, remain in force, because for now only a ceasefire has been achieved.
“We will maintain this ban until the whole process is consolidated and definitively directed towards a lasting peace“, he stated. Likewise, Sanchez warned that peace cannot mean forgetting or leaving unpunished those who are the subject of international criminal proceedings, such as Netanyahu.
Other countries such as Hungary and the Czech Republic have not expressed or have toned down criticism of Israel, thus adhering more closely to US and Israeli policies that have shown reluctance to recognize the state of Palestine.