Live Update
From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, May 9, 2023
EU ‘gravely concerned by Gaza escalation,’ says ‘civilian lives must be protected’

A worker on a lift adjusts the EU flags in front of EU headquarters in Brussels, June 23, 2016. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo, File)
The European Union says it’s “gravely concerned by the escalation in Gaza” after Israel carried out airstrikes that killed three senior officials in Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
“The EU deeply regrets the loss of civilian lives, including children, and calls for the respect of international humanitarian law,” the bloc’s foreign office says in a statement, referring to 10 others killed in the attacks. “Civilian lives must be protected under all circumstances.”
The statement doesn’t mention the PIJ members.
“We urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint, promote calm and work towards a political horizon and regional stability in line with the commitments in the Aqaba and Sharm el-Sheikh declarations,” it adds.