British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the situation in Gaza as horrific and called the famine man-made, while Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and EU Foreign Policy Chief Ursula von der Leyen acknowledged Europe’s failure to change the events in Gaza.

Starmer told Parliament on Wednesday that he is in talks with world leaders about what is happening in Gaza, working with them to achieve a ceasefire, ensure the flow of aid, secure the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza, and develop what he described as a peace plan towards a two-state solution.

The British Prime Minister also emphasized that Israel must allow relief agencies to enter and distribute life-saving aid in Gaza, stating that the Israeli government is blocking urgent aid from entering Gaza, which he declared a man-made famine.

Starmer added that land crossings are the only sustainable routes to deliver aid to Gaza in the required quantities.

Meanwhile, EU Foreign Policy Chief Ursula von der Leyen tried to justify Europe’s failure in the face of what is happening in Gaza, saying, “We have not been able to use our geopolitical power to change events in Gaza due to lack of unity.”

Von der Leyen affirmed that “the humanitarian disaster in Gaza is a test of Europe’s resolve to defend its values.”

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez sharply criticized the EU’s stance on the Israeli extermination war on Gaza, describing its response as “failed” and undermining the credibility and global standing of the West due to double standards between Gaza and Ukraine.

In an interview with the British newspaper The Guardian, he said, “The Israeli attack on Palestinian territories represents one of the darkest chapters in international relations in the 21st century,” stressing that European countries are divided on how to pressure Israel, which he considered “unacceptable.”

Sánchez explained that his country was a pioneer in recognizing the Palestinian state and welcomed other European countries joining this path, but stressed that the overall European stance towards the war is “weak and insufficient.”

He pointed out that the United States, led by President Donald Trump, is ending the global order established after World War II, but noted that America’s withdrawal from major institutions like the World Health Organization could give Europe and the UK an opportunity to assert greater global leadership.