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EU Edges Towards Call for Pause in Israel-Hamas War but Doubts Persist

Palestinian children receive food at a UN-run school in Rafah, on the southern Gaza Strip on October 23, 2023 amid ongoing battles between Israel and Hamas. (AFP)
Palestinian children receive food at a UN-run school in Rafah, on the southern Gaza Strip on October 23, 2023 amid ongoing battles between Israel and Hamas. (AFP)
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EU Edges Towards Call for Pause in Israel-Hamas War but Doubts Persist

Palestinian children receive food at a UN-run school in Rafah, on the southern Gaza Strip on October 23, 2023 amid ongoing battles between Israel and Hamas. (AFP)
Palestinian children receive food at a UN-run school in Rafah, on the southern Gaza Strip on October 23, 2023 amid ongoing battles between Israel and Hamas. (AFP)

The European Union edged on Monday towards endorsing a "humanitarian pause" in the war between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas even as some member governments signaled reservations about the idea.

Josep Borrell, the EU's foreign policy chief, said he backed a call by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for a break in the conflict to allow much more humanitarian aid to reach Palestinian civilians in the besieged Gaza Strip.

EU officials also drafted a statement in support of the proposal for an EU summit later this week, although they cautioned the text could still change in the coming days.

The moves reflected increasing alarm about the fate of Palestinian civilians after two weeks of Israel bombarding and blockading Gaza in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas assault that killed 1,400 people and took more than 200 hostage.

More than 5,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes, according to the enclave's health ministry, and about 1.4 million of Gaza's 2.3 million population are now internally displaced, according to the United Nations.

Two aid convoys - one of 20 trucks, the other of 14 - entered Gaza over the weekend from Egypt at the Rafah crossing, according to officials. But aid workers said this was a fraction of the aid that would go into Gaza even in normal times.

"Now the most important thing is for humanitarian support to go into Gaza," Borrell told reporters on arrival at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg.

EU members including France, Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Slovenia and Luxembourg have also backed the idea.

"There's a vital need to get water, to get food, to get medical supplies into Gaza," said Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin. "The degree of human suffering is immense. We have to distinguish between the civilians of Gaza and Hamas."

But some other ministers openly expressed reservations about the proposal or avoided a direct answer when asked about it.

The divergence in views broadly reflected longstanding differences within the EU over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with those seen as more sympathetic to Palestinians pushing for a pause while staunch allies of Israel were more reluctant.

Asked why Germany had not backed calls for a humanitarian ceasefire, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said recent days had shown the importance of getting aid into Gaza but had also made clear that Hamas was continuing to attack Israel.

"We’ve all seen that the terrorism continues non-stop, that massive rocket attacks against Israel are taking place," she said. "We can't end the humanitarian catastrophe when the terrorism from Gaza continues."

Some questioned whether a pause would impede Israel's right to defend itself as it seeks to destroy Hamas positions in Gaza.

“Of course, everyone would wish that the violence comes to an end. But Israel has the right to self-defense," said Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg.

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky questioned "how such a ceasefire should be established with a partner inside Gaza, where the Hamas terrorist organization now is controlling the situation".

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Arab World

Attacks in Baghdad Breach Fragile Militia Truce

An Iraqi armored vehicle near the US Embassy in Baghdad (AFP)
An Iraqi armored vehicle near the US Embassy in Baghdad (AFP)
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Attacks in Baghdad Breach Fragile Militia Truce

An Iraqi armored vehicle near the US Embassy in Baghdad (AFP)
An Iraqi armored vehicle near the US Embassy in Baghdad (AFP)

A wave of coordinated attacks struck Baghdad in a sharp escalation of Iraq’s security tensions, pointing to a shift in armed factions’ tactics and signaling that an undeclared truce may have effectively collapsed, with the US’s “Victory Base” being among the targets.

The attacks began with a strike on the headquarters of Iraq’s Intelligence Service in the Mansour district. Security sources said the blast hit the communications tower and server systems inside the compound, killing two officers and wounding several personnel, some critically.

The Security Media Cell said a drone crashed inside the compound at 10:15 a.m., striking the communications tower, while air defenses moved quickly to engage it.

The Intelligence Service mourned one of its officers, describing the attack as a “terrorist” act carried out by outlaws. It said the strike was a failed attempt to disrupt its work and vowed to pursue those responsible and bring them to justice.

The repeated use of the term “terrorism” in official statements tied to attacks attributed to armed factions underscores rising friction between the government and these groups.

The escalation came two days before the end of a five-day truce announced by Kataib Hezbollah, which pledged not to target the US Embassy in Baghdad under mediation led by Supreme Judicial Council head Faiq Zaidan and National Security Adviser Qassem al-Araji.

The understanding appeared limited to the embassy, excluding other locations such as logistical support facilities near Baghdad airport.

Sources said the United States did not provide a clear response to the truce conditions, while the US chargé d’affaires denied the presence of weapons at Victory Base, saying it serves as a diplomatic support center.

Violence also flared outside Baghdad. The Al-Haliwa military airport in Tuz Khurmatu, east of Salahuddin province, was hit in an attack marked by four explosions.

The site hosts units from the 4th Regiment of the 52nd Brigade of the Popular Mobilization Forces. Initial reports pointed to no casualties, but the PMF later said one of its fighters was killed and others wounded, describing the strike as a “Zionist-American bombardment.”

Security forces imposed a cordon and launched an investigation.

In a parallel development, Ashab al-Kahf claimed a drone attack on Victory Base, located near Baghdad’s international airport, warning civilians to stay away from areas hosting US presence and saying its operations would intensify.

The claim is significant, suggesting the truce has effectively ended, even without a formal announcement.

US sources say the site referred to as Victory Base has not been an official military base since 2011, when the complex was handed over to Iraqi authorities. It is now used as a diplomatic support facility rather than a standalone combat base.

The developments point to growing signs that armed factions are rotating roles in carrying out attacks to obscure responsibility and complicate attribution, particularly in Baghdad, where targets span government facilities and sites linked to the US presence.

The escalation comes against a wider regional backdrop. Since fighting erupted between Iran, the US and Israel on Feb. 28, Iraqi factions close to Tehran have stepped up attacks on diplomatic sites and military bases in Iraq and the Kurdistan region, drawing a series of US strikes in response.

On March 19, 2026, Hadi al-Amiri, head of the Badr Organization, accused the US and Israel of carrying out attacks on PMF positions and called on Iraqi authorities to take firm measures to prevent further strikes, as tensions show no sign of easing.

Arab World

European Nations Decry ‘Increasing Settler Terror’ in West Bank

Israeli soldiers take position as Israeli settlers barricade themselves in Joseph's Tomb in Nablus, March 17, 2026. (EPA)
Israeli soldiers take position as Israeli settlers barricade themselves in Joseph's Tomb in Nablus, March 17, 2026. (EPA)
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European Nations Decry ‘Increasing Settler Terror’ in West Bank

Israeli soldiers take position as Israeli settlers barricade themselves in Joseph's Tomb in Nablus, March 17, 2026. (EPA)
Israeli soldiers take position as Israeli settlers barricade themselves in Joseph's Tomb in Nablus, March 17, 2026. (EPA)

Diplomats from 13 European countries and Canada on Saturday slammed growing "terror" by settlers against Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, after a surge in deadly attacks.

Since the start of March, six Palestinians have been shot dead in settler attacks in the West Bank, according to a tally of data from the Ramallah-based health ministry.

"We strongly condemn increasing settler terror and violence by the Israeli security forces inflicted upon Palestinian communities," said a joint statement from the diplomatic missions of countries including France, Spain and Britain.

"We are especially appalled by the killings of Palestinians over these past weeks. This violence by settler militias, aimed at taking over land and creating a coercive environment, forcing Palestinians to leave their homes, must end."

The statement called on the Israeli authorities to "prevent and prosecute the lethal violence, raids and attacks".

Israel's military chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir on Wednesday criticized the increase in settler attacks in the West Bank, calling it "morally and ethically unacceptable".

Alongside roughly three million Palestinians, more than 500,000 Israelis live in settlements and outposts in the West Bank, which are illegal under international law.

While most Israeli settlers do not engage in violence, a small but militant fringe has been linked to attacks on Palestinians.

More broadly, violence in the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967, has risen sharply since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel triggered the Gaza war.

It has continued despite the ceasefire and spiked since the start of the war against Iran.

According to an AFP tally based on Palestinian health ministry figures, Israeli troops or settlers have killed at least 1,050 Palestinians -- many of them gunmen, but also scores of civilians -- in the West Bank since the start of the Gaza war.

Israeli troops last week shot dead two children and their parents in a car, Palestinian authorities said. The Israeli military and police said soldiers opened fire on a vehicle over a perceived safety threat, killing four people inside.

Official Israeli figures say 45 Israelis, including soldiers and civilians, have also been killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military operations.

Arab World

Jordan Says 240 Missiles, Drones Fired at Kingdom Since Start of Middle East War

Streaks of fire and light cross the night sky as an Israeli interceptor strikes an Iranian missile amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, over Tel Aviv, Israel, March 18, 2026. (Reuters)
Streaks of fire and light cross the night sky as an Israeli interceptor strikes an Iranian missile amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, over Tel Aviv, Israel, March 18, 2026. (Reuters)
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Jordan Says 240 Missiles, Drones Fired at Kingdom Since Start of Middle East War

Streaks of fire and light cross the night sky as an Israeli interceptor strikes an Iranian missile amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, over Tel Aviv, Israel, March 18, 2026. (Reuters)
Streaks of fire and light cross the night sky as an Israeli interceptor strikes an Iranian missile amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, over Tel Aviv, Israel, March 18, 2026. (Reuters)

The Jordanian army said on Saturday that 240 missiles and drones had targeted the kingdom since the Middle East war began last month, most of which were intercepted.

"The total number of missiles and drones fired towards the kingdom since the start of the war has reached 240," the army said in a statement.

"The Royal Air Force successfully intercepted and destroyed 222 missiles and drones, while 18 missiles and drones were not intercepted by the air defenses," it added.

The military's media office, meanwhile, said 36 missiles and drones had targeted the kingdom over the past week.

"Fourteen missiles and 21 drones were intercepted and destroyed, while defenses were unable to thwart one attack," it added.

Since the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28, the Islamic republic has struck countries across the region, including Jordan.

Iran has targeted US interests in the region, but attacks have also hit civilian infrastructure.

Jordan has recorded no deaths since the start of the war, with health authorities previously reporting 29 injured, all of whom have since been discharged from hospital.