Whether at the summit in Cairo, at the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg or at the United Nations in New York – the world is striving to prevent a conflagration in the Middle East. We are also committed to looking beyond the present moment – to finding a way to reach tomorrow and to think of a Gaza after Hamas. We in Europe believe that peaceful co-existence between Israelis and Palestinians can only be achieved through a negotiated two-state solution. Even though this seems a distant prospect in the face of the violence, it is especially important that we look to this future now.

The world is observing the situation in the Middle East from different viewpoints and with heavy hearts – and we will all come together at the United Nations in New York. Despite all our different stances, we are united by a common goal: an end to the suffering and insecurity for people in the Middle East, who want to live in peace and dignity. However, there can be no security with Hamas terror – neither for Israel nor for the Palestinians. The terror must be tackled.

We must urgently ensure that the United Nations is able to provide people in Gaza with humanitarian assistance. For it is lorries of the international relief organisations which have been travelling to people in Gaza since Saturday. And it is above all UN humanitarian aid workers who are now risking their lives to distribute canned food, medicines and blankets to people in need.

Hamas wants to drive a wedge of hate into our societies and into the international community. The terror playbook not only envisages turning the Arab world against Israel and its partners. For Hamas also wants to fuel hatred and antisemitism in our societies, in Europe. We see this at present in the demonstrations in our country, in London, in Paris. Slogans are being chanted there which have nothing to do with compassion for the real suffering of women and children in Gaza but, rather, question Israel’s right to exist and call for violence against Jews. We as a society must stand up against this antisemitism.