Palestine warns against resumption of Israel's war on Gaza during EU-Arab nations summit

Hours before Israel and Hamas agreed to extend their expiring ceasefire by two more days, the top Palestinian diplomat has made a plea during a meeting of European Union members and Arab nations for a definitive end to Israel's attacks on besieged Gaza.

"We have to find how to apply the necessary pressure so that the Israeli government does not continue killing innocent people, so that we can continue counting cadavers," Riad al Maliki said in Spanish during a news conference during the gathering of diplomats in Barcelona, Spain on Monday.

Al Maliki warned that any resumption of the war by Israel would quickly lead to more deaths in a conflict that has killed more than 15,000 Palestinians, the vast majority of them women and children. Some 7,000 Palestinians are buried under rubble of bombed buildings, Gaza officials say.

Israel did not attend the meeting hosted by the Union for the Mediterranean and chaired by the EU’s Foreign Policy chief, Josep Borrell, and Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi.

Many of the 43 delegations were represented by their foreign ministers.

While the meeting did not produce any major policy initiatives, it did provide a chance for European diplomats to hear directly from northern African and Middle Eastern nations who strongly support Palestine's independence and fear that Israel's war on Gaza could destabilise the region.

Borrell said he "regretted" the absence of Israel. He repeated his condemnation of Hamas, while calling on Israel to permanently end its assault, which he said has claimed the lives of over 5,000 children.

"One horror cannot justify another horror," Borrell said. "Peace between Israel and Palestine has become a strategic imperative for the entire Euro-Mediterranean community and beyond."

'Blatant aggression'

Jordan’s Safadi urged the officials attending the meeting to back a two-state solution of Israel's occupation of Palestinians lands.

But Safadi also acknowledged after the meeting that despite a broad consensus for peace, there were still some differing viewpoints on how hard to push Israel to stop.

"Today, we came for a very open, very frank, very blunt conversation. We agreed, and we disagreed. Some of our colleagues still call the killing of 15,000 Palestinians, the destruction of over 160,000 homes, the complete devastation of hospitals, the denial of food, water, fuel, medicine, is self-defence," he said.

"We call it blatant aggression."

Safadi would not say which countries took the softer approach to Israel, but the Czech Republic, Austria, Croatia, and Hungary have insisted on Israel’s right to defend itself.

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, was invited to the event.

"Continued escalation will produce no severe pain for any party," Prince Faisal said.

"The only sure result is more destruction, radicalisation and further conflict at the expense of Palestinian lives, as well as regional security, including that of Israel."

Borrell said he wanted the gathering to focus on managing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza once Israeli violence finally stop.

A small pro-Palestinian group rallied before the gathering at the art nouveau building that once housed Barcelona's Sant Pau Hospital.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said during a trip to Israel, Palestine and Egypt last week with his Belgian counterpart that the time has come for the international community and the EU to recognise a Palestinian state. His comment prompted Israel to summon the Belgian and Spanish ambassadors.

Lebanese Foreign Affairs Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said he was pleased that all the European nations agreed to back a two-state solution and do not want Israel to occupy Gaza.

"I'm glad that the Europeans are interested in solving the problem of problem that is 75 years old," he told the Associated Press.