Despite divisions, EU leaders to urge pauses in Gaza bombing to get aid in
By Andrew Gray and Tassilo Hummel
BRUSSELS (Reuters) -EU leaders were poised on Thursday to call for pauses in Israeli bombing and Hamas rocket attacks to get humanitarian aid into Gaza after days of wrangling that highlighted divisions within the bloc over the broader Israel-Palestinian conflict.
While EU leaders have strongly condemned Hamas' attack on Israel, they have struggled to stick to the same message beyond that, with some stressing Israel's right to self-defence and others emphasising concern about Palestinian civilians.
Those differences were on display again as leaders gathered in Brussels for their first in-person summit since the deadly Oct. 7 assault on Israel by Palestinian militant group Hamas, which prompted Israel to bombard and blockade Hamas-run Gaza.
«Israel is a democratic state guided by very humanitarian principles and so we can be certain that the Israeli army will respect the rules that arise from international law in everything it does,» said German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. «I have no doubt about that.»
Scholz's remarks contrasted sharply with comments in recent days by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and Charles Michel, the chairman of EU leaders' summits, who have said that a total blockade of Gaza and attacks on civilian infrastructure already contravene international law.
Rights groups such as Human Rights Watch have also accused Israel of violating international humanitarian law.
Israel insists it is acting within international law and that its attacks are intended to destroy Hamas, which operates among the civilian population.
Arriving at the summit, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo warned Israel against starving Gaza.
«Israel has a right to take action and to prevent
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