EU proposes suspending Israel's access to funds over Gaza war

2025-07-28 22:02:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The European Commission has proposed suspending Israel's access to European Union funds for technology start-ups, as pressure mounts over the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.

This move from Brussels comes at a time when several EU states are seeking concrete steps against Israel in light of growing fears of deepening famine in the war-torn Palestinian territory.

"Although Israel has announced a daily humanitarian pause in fighting in Gaza... the situation remains grave," the European Commission said in a statement.

A proposal to partially suspend Israel's involvement in the giant Horizon research program will be discussed by the 27 EU member states on Tuesday.

Such a suspension requires the approval of a majority of member states in order to enter into force.

The EU has had difficulty taking action on the Gaza conflict, as it is divided between supporters of Israel and those who have a more favorable stance towards the Palestinians.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas this month presented a range of options to punish Israel after it was found guilty of violating a cooperation agreement with the EU on human rights grounds.

Brussels also said it had reached an agreement with Israel to increase humanitarian aid access to Gaza.

While the EU says Israel has taken some steps to implement promises to increase humanitarian aid, much remains to be done.

Partially suspending access to the Horizon program is one of the most limited measures that Brussels can take.

But diplomats and officials emphasize that this move is a first step to signal to Israel that the bloc is ready to take measures if the situation in Gaza does not improve.

Brussels said the proposal would mean banning access to funding for Israeli start-ups operating in fields such as drone technology, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.

In 2024, Israel was among the top three countries with the largest number of companies competing for funding, alongside Germany and France.

With over 2 million Gazans facing hunger and malnutrition, Israel bowed to international pressure over the weekend and announced a daily "tactical pause" in fighting in some areas.

On Monday, trucks of food reached starving Gaza residents after Israel promised to open safe corridors for aid, but aid agencies warned that much larger quantities were needed to avoid mass starvation .