European Council head calls for calm in Gaza, urges full compliance with ceasefire terms

European Council President António Costa expressed his shock over the recent casualties in Gaza following Israeli airstrikes, urging all parties involved to honor the ceasefire agreement.

Costa made these remarks on the social media platform X, calling for a de-escalation of violence and greater adherence to the truce in place, Caliber.Az reports.

Shocked and saddened by the news coming from Gaza and the many civilian casualties following the Israeli airstrikes last night.

Violence must stop and the terms of the ceasefire agreement must be respected. All hostages and detainees must be released, and humanitarian aid must…

— António Costa (@eucopresident) March 18, 2025

“Shocked and saddened by the news coming from Gaza and the many civilian casualties following the Israeli airstrikes last night.

Violence must stop and the terms of the ceasefire agreement must be respected. All hostages and detainees must be released, and humanitarian aid must be resumed immediately,” Costa posted.

To recall, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) issued a joint statement detailing their ongoing operations in Gaza. The statement emphasized that the IDF and ISA continue to target Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organizations across the region. Recent strikes have focused on terrorist cells, launch posts, weapons stockpiles, and other military infrastructure used by these groups to carry out attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers.

The statement follows reports from Gaza's health ministry, which confirmed that the recent Israeli airstrikes have resulted in significant casualties, including many women and children. According to local officials, over 400 people have been killed, with hundreds more injured and receiving treatment in hospitals.

By Vafa Guliyeva