(Brussels) “The aim is not to punish Tel Aviv, it is to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza. The suffering must stop, and all hostages must be released. We must not lose sight of the condition of the West Bank”. This is how Kaja Kallas, High Representative of the EU for foreign affairs and security policy, commented the proposals put forward today by the EU Commission, aiming to suspend part of trade concessions with Israel, define sanctions against Hamas and the extremist ministers of the Israeli government and violent settlers. “We all agree that the situation in Gaza keeps taking a wrong turn. We must use the tools we have to pressure the Israeli government into changing its route”. “This war must end, the suffering must stop, and all hostages must be released”, Kallas insists. “The next crucial step is to get support from our member states to implement this proposal”.