Will the EU Take Action in Gaza and Israel?

The Israel-Hamas war is approaching its one-year anniversary, and there appears to be no end in sight. Initially supported by other nations horrified at the atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7, 2023, the war is now stirring up animosity and frustration among many of Israel’s allies. While Israel appears to have no plans for how to bring the conflict to a conclusion, will other nations feel compelled to step in and take control if the situation does not improve?

Different nations are pressuring Israel and Hamas to sign a joint ceasefire agreement, yet there are increasing doubts about any such possibility, as neither side appears willing to see it happen (CNN, September 7, 2024). In response, Turkey’s president recently called for all Islamic nations to unite against what he called Israel’s “growing threat of expansionism” (Reuters, September 7, 2024). Turkey has also been deepening its relationship with both Syria and Egypt. Meanwhile, European leaders are growing frustrated with Israel’s lack of progress in reaching a ceasefire and the growing number of civilian deaths (The Guardian, August 25, 2024). In a recent meeting with the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi put pressure on the international community and the EU to push Israel into an agreement that will end the war (Ahram.org, September 9, 2024), and EU leadership recently placed sanctions on several Israeli leaders and entities, claiming they are connected to “serious and systematic human rights abuses” against Palestinians (Reuters, July 15, 2024).

How long will global powers sit by and watch the ongoing saga unravel in Gaza before a strong nation (or group of nations) steps in and attempts to stabilize the situation? Will a group of Arab or Muslim nations take dramatic action, or perhaps a group of European nations—and what would be the outcome of such an intervention? The Bible actually provides valuable insights concerning such possibilities. To gain more understanding of this tangled situation, be sure to read or listen to The Beast of Revelation: Myth, Metaphor, or Soon-Coming Reality?