European Parliament: Release of Hostages and Disbandment of Hamas Conditions for Ceasefire in Gaza

The European Parliament announced on Thursday that an unconditional ceasefire in Gaza should only occur in the event of the release of hostages held in the besieged Palestinian territory and the disbandment of the Palestinian Islamic resistance movement (Hamas). Three groups of European lawmakers—socialists, centrists, and greens—sought to issue a resolution calling for a permanent ceasefire and the resumption of efforts toward a political solution. The text of the resolution called for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and the dismantling of Hamas. However, the European People's Party, a center-right group and the largest in the European Parliament, pushed an amendment to the text during the vote. They called for a permanent ceasefire and the resumption of efforts towards a political solution "provided" that the hostages are released and Hamas is dismantled. The resolution as a whole was approved by a significant majority. While decisions of the European Parliament do not have binding authority, their aim is to clarify the European perspective, and they have sometimes sparked strong external reactions. The resolution will be sent to other EU institutions, member states, the Israeli government, Palestinian authorities, Egypt, and the United Nations. In October, parliament members condemned the Hamas attack on Israel on the seventh of that month and also called for a "humanitarian truce."