“We have expressed our deep concern about the situation in Gaza. Initially, it was understandable that Israel should respond to the terrible and terrorist attack of 7 October 2023, but in the meantime we and many foreign governments believe that the current targets cannot be seen as a proportionate response to what happened at the end of 2023.” The prime minister, Luc Frieden (CSV), is weighing his words, advancing cautiously on a metaphorical minefield.

“We believe that Israel cannot attack the entire civilian population or extend its sovereignty over this territory of Gaza and that it is absolutely essential that humanitarian aid can be delivered to people who have been in extreme suffering for months,” comments the head of government, who is quick to point out the fundamentals. “Whilst maintaining our attachment to the state of Israel, we disagree with the policy currently being pursued and we have given our agreement to a review of the continuation of the association agreement between Israel and the European Union.”

Seventeen out of 27 countries supported the initiative, launched by the Netherlands. The EU is its biggest trading partner, “accounting for 32% of Israel's total trade in goods with the world in 2024,” states the European Commission.

Luxembourg’s head of diplomacy, foreign minister Xavier Bettel (DP), also spoke out in favour of this a few days ago considering that “the humanitarian situation in Gaza is unacceptable” and that “a ceasefire must be re-established and all hostages must be released.”

“Beyond [this review],” added Frieden, “we want a lasting and just peace in the Middle East, which leads us to support a number of proposals that are currently under discussion with a view to the two-state conference to be held in June in New York,” under the Franco-Saudi presidency. More than 150 countries have already announced their readiness to recognise a Palestinian state.

As he diplomatically points out that “obviously, the release of the hostages remains an essential demand on our part, for human reasons, for reasons of respect for the law. Not everything can be allowed in such a conflict.” Then, immediately, that “everything is very difficult to judge from the outside but the release of the hostages, who to a very large extent are also civilian hostages, is essential and must be done immediately.”

This Wednesday, diplomats from China, Japan and Mexico as well as several European countries, including France, the Netherlands, Ireland and Romania, were fired upon by the Israeli army, which explained that it had given them a route to which the delegations would not have adhered.

According to figures be taken with caution, 53,000 people have lost their lives over the last fifteen months in the Gaza Strip (including 16,000 children according to Unicef), i.e., the equivalent of Esch-sur-Alzette (the second-largest city in Luxembourg) and Sanem (sixth largest city). At least 120,000 people have been injured, again according to Unicef. Of the 251 people kidnapped in October 2023, around fifty are still in the hands of Hamas, of whom around thirty are thought to have died, according to the Israeli army.

This article was originally published in French.