The Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union called on Israel Monday afternoon to open crossings into Gaza immediately for the transfer of humanitarian aid. Meeting in Luxembourg, the council said, "The continued closure policy is unacceptable and, in the final analysis, politically damaging.
Basing its call on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1860, the council said the opening of the crossings should be extended and unconditional, including the transfer of goods from Palestinian Authority-assigned areas in Judea and Samaria. It allowed for Israeli security considerations, including the stopping of weapons from entering the Hamas-controlled area.