Conflict: EU convenes special leaders’ meeting in solidarity with Israel

European Union (EU) leaders are set to convene an extraordinary meeting via video link on Tuesday to discuss the situation in Israel and the Gaza Strip, European Council President Charles Michel said.

“We stand in full solidarity with the people of Israel and the victims of the terrorist attacks,” Michel said in an invitation issued on Saturday evening.

“Israel has the right to defend itself in full compliance with international law, in particular international humanitarian law,” he added.

Palestinian extremist organisation Hamas, which rules Gaza, launched thousands of rockets toward Israel while hundreds of its fighters breached border defences in an unprecedented surprise attack last weekend, rampaging across communities of southern Israel as well as a music festival in a massacre that left more than 1,300 dead.

Israel responded by launching retaliatory airstrikes on the coastal enclave and signs are mounting that a ground offensive is imminent.

During their attack a week ago, Hamas fighters also took more than 100 hostages and abducted them into the Gaza Strip.

Hamas is classified as a terrorist organisation by the EU, the United States and Israel.

(dpa/NAN)