Sweden to summon Israeli envoy over Gaza blockade

Growing international backlash against Israel’s blockade of aid into Gaza has sparked calls for sanctions by European nations.

Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on Monday that the Israeli ambassador will be summoned in protest, urging the EU to impose sanctions and diplomatic pressure to ensure humanitarian aid reaches war-torn Gaza.

“We absolutely do not support what the Israeli [regime] is doing now, blocking access to Gaza,” Kristersson said in statements reported by the Swedish news agency TT.

“We have been very clear about this, both at the national level and with many other European countries.”

Leaders from Sweden, Finland, and Denmark have condemned Israel over the humanitarian aid crisis in Gaza, and called on the regime to immediately ensure the flow of assistance into the Palestinian territory.

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo called for international pressure on Israel, saying the regime “must ensure immediate access for humanitarian aid.”

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called the current situation in Gaza “unacceptable.”

Spain has also pitched in with Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares stating that Madrid is considering sanctions on Israel.

He emphasized that recognizing the state of Palestine is essential for peace.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has denounced the latest Israeli air strikes on a school building sheltering displaced families in Gaza City, which killed at least 35 Palestinians, labeling the assault as a humanitarian tragedy and a political catastrophe.

“I have to say that what happened this weekend — when another kindergarten in the Gaza Strip was hit — is a human tragedy and a political catastrophe,” Merz said during his speech on Monday at the European Forum organized by West German Broadcasting (WDR).