The Group of Progressive Socialists and Democrats (S&D) in the European Parliament Thursday expressed deep concern about the downward spiral of the Gaza crisis, and called for an immediate end to hostilities.
"The further escalation of this crisis can only bring more suffering to both Israelis and Palestinians. More than 70 people, including children and civilians, have been killed in the Gaza Strip, while hundreds of rockets have been fired into Israeli territory, aimed at targets as far as Tel Aviv and the north of the country," S&D vice-president Victor Bostinaru, said in a statement.
The second-largst political group in the EP called on Hamas and Palestinian militias to put an immediate end to the rocket attacks on Israel.
"At the same time, we call on Israel to fully respect its obligations under international law by avoiding the excessive use of force and protecting civilians and vital civilian infrastructure in the Gaza Strip," it said.
The Group also urged members of the UN Security Council to do their utmost at today's emergency meeting to find an adequate response to the crisis, and called on key regional players, including Egypt and Jordan, to contribute to the efforts to calm the situation.