The situation in Gaza is intolerable – it must end

These measures constitute serious violations of international law and make the accusations of war crimes and ethnic cleansing ever more urgent. Growing evidence – including repeated statements by Israeli government officials – suggests that a policy of annexation and ethnic cleansing, if not outright genocide, is being pursued.

The humanitarian situation is catastrophic: tens of thousands of people have lost their lives, and almost the entire population has been repeatedly displaced. The supply of food and medical aid has almost completely collapsed. We demand an immediate and permanent end to the violence. The immediate and unconditional release of all remaining Israeli hostages remains a key demand.

We expressly condemn the visit of Benjamin Netanyahu to Hungary despite the outstanding arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. Correspondingly, any statement by European politicians undermining the integrity and independence of institutions of international justice erodes the rule of law, and damages not only the reputation of the EU as a supporter of a world based on international law and human rights, but also torpedoes the fight for human rights across the world. We call on all EU Member States to fulfil their commitments with respect to the procedures of international courts, to enforce the arrest warrants issued by the ICC, to act in accordance with the measures for the prevention of genocide, as issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and to respect the implications of the advisory opinion of the ICJ with regards to the Israeli occupation policies.

Therefore, we demand:

• The suspension of the Association Agreement with Israel: As part of the ongoing review of the violation of Article 2, the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement must be initiated, and preferential trade should be suspended as soon as possible.

• Restrictive weapons export: The export of weapons and military technology that could be used for human rights violations must be stopped completely. Excluded from this are systems such as Iron Dome and other technologies that serve to protect the Israeli civilian population and cannot be plausibly utilised for human rights violations.

• EU sanctions: We call for targeted EU sanctions against Prime Minister Netanyahu, the radical ministers Ben Gvir and Smotrich, and against settlers and settler organisations that take part in the forceful displacement of Palestinians in the West Bank.

• Support for international jurisdiction: We call for full support for the International Criminal Court and its investigations. We welcome the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice of June 2024 on the occupation of Palestinian areas, and we call on the EU and its Member States to act according to the corresponding legal implications.

• Humanitarian aid: Immediate access and distribution of humanitarian aid by UN agencies and recognised aid organisations, in accordance with the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence, must be guaranteed.

• Recognition of the Palestinian state: We call for the international recognition and support of an independent, democratic, peaceful Palestinian state, based on the principles of universal human rights, with effective governance and independent international relations, free from the influence of Hamas or its ideology, alongside Israel and working towards a peaceful coexistence of the two states.

This piece is an edited translation from the statement by Volt Germany of 4 June 2025.