European Union states call for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza war. EU Council President Charles Michel announced this in the evening after talks between heads of state and government at the EU summit in Brussels.
Israel is also urged not to launch a ground offensive in Rafah, in the far south of the Gaza Strip, which would worsen the already catastrophic humanitarian situation. According to the UN, at least 576,000 people - a quarter of Gaza's population - are at risk of starvation. The agreement on the declaration was preceded by weeks of discussions between the member states.