Sweden to Summon Israeli Ambassador Over Gaza Aid Blockade
Prime Minister Kristersson Calls for EU Sanctions as Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza Deepens.
Watan-Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on Monday that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will summon the Israeli ambassador in Stockholm to protest the lack of humanitarian aid reaching civilians in the Gaza Strip.
Last week, under mounting international pressure, Israeli authorities allowed a limited number of aid trucks into the besieged Palestinian enclave. However, only a few hundred trucks entered, carrying a fraction of the food needed by the two million residents facing famine after nearly three months of blockade.
Kristersson told the Swedish news agency TT that the European Union should impose sanctions and increase diplomatic pressure on Israel to allow the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
“We’ve been extremely clear on this, both individually and alongside many other European nations,” Kristersson said.
“There’s no doubt that this pressure is growing—and for very good reasons,” he added.
The Prime Minister’s office confirmed his remarks.
Israel launched an extensive air and ground assault on Gaza following a cross-border attack by Palestinian resistance fighters from Hamas on October 7, 2023, which, according to Israeli statistics, resulted in about 1,200 deaths and the capture of 251 hostages.
Gaza’s health authorities report that since then, the Israeli campaign has killed over 53,900 Palestinians and devastated the coastal territory. Relief organizations warn of widespread acute malnutrition symptoms, as the humanitarian crisis continues to spiral.
