EU Chief Declares Hamas Attack An “Act of Terror”

EU Chief Declares Hamas Attack An “Act of Terror”

EU Chief Declares Hamas Attack An “Act of Terror”: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has declared that the attack perpetrated by the militant group Hamas against civilians in Israel was an “act of terror” and reflected “an ancient evil.”

“At the dawn of Shabbat, last Saturday, the whole world woke up in horror. Hundreds of innocent people were murdered in cold blood,” von der Leyen said Wednesday at the weekly meeting of European Commissioners in Brussels.

According to Haim Regev, the Israeli ambassador to the EU and NATO, Hamas terrorists killed women and children in their homes.

“These innocents were killed for one single reason. For being Jewish and living in the State of Israel. It is an ancient evil, which reminds us of the darkest past and shocks all of us to the core,” she said, stressing that “we have to be clear in defining this kind of horror. It is terrorism. And it is an act of war.”

Also, the EU had to clarify Monday that aid payments for Palestinians will not be suspended in light of Hamas’ attack on Israel, after one of its officials had said that aid would be cut off.

“While I most strongly condemn the terrorist attack committed by Hamas, it is imperative to protect civilians and respect international humanitarian law,” Janez Lenarc, European Commissioner for Crisis Management, said Monday.

This was reaffirmed by Von der Leyen on Wednesday, who stated that the EU’s assistance to the Palestinian people “is not in question.” She emphasized that the EU had reassessed its financial support for Palestine due to worries that it would be used to support Hamas.

“EU funding has never and will never go to Hamas or any terrorist entity. So we will now again review the entire portfolio in light of an evolving situation on the ground,” she said.