Churches urge EU sanctions and arms embargo over Israel’s Gaza war The World Council of Churches has called on the European Union to impose sanctions and an arms embargo on Israel over its war on Gaza and ongoing violations against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. Iskandar Majlatoun, the local coordinator of the council’s Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel, said the organisation is “deeply shocked by the spiral of violence and immense suffering” unfolding across the territory. He said the council’s stance rests firmly on international law and human rights principles, adding that it unequivocally condemns all attacks targeting civilians. Majlatoun described the situation in Gaza as an “unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe”, pointing to the killing of thousands of civilians - most of them women and children - and the mass displacement of nearly the entire population amid widespread destruction, hunger and disease. ]He stressed that the “tragic spiral of violence” did not begin in October 2023, but instead stems from “a decades-long occupation, the blockade imposed on Gaza, and systemic inequality.” The council said accountability and concrete international action remain essential to halt further suffering and protect Palestinian civilians.