'Situation in Gaza utterly deplorable': Swedish PM urges EU to suspend trade ties with Israel; calls for unrestricted humanitarian aid

Sweden on Thursday urged the European Union to suspend its trade agreement with Israel, citing Israel's actions during the ongoing war in Gaza.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in a post on X said, "The situation in Gaza is utterly deplorable, and Israel is not fulfilling its most basic obligations and agreed-upon commitments regarding humanitarian aid."


He called on EU to freeze the trade component of the association agreement as soon as possible and urged the Israeli government to allow unrestricted humanitarian aid into Gaza.

The EU's association agreement with Israel sets the framework for trade and political relations. According to EU statistics, the bloc is Israel’s largest trading partner, accounting for nearly one-third of its total trade

Kristersson's remarks follow a similar position taken by the Netherlands earlier this week. Dutch foreign minister Caspar Veldkamp stated that the Netherlands would suspend the trade agreement if Israel fails to meet its humanitarian obligations.

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has created divisions within the EU. While countries like Germany emphasize Israel's right to self-defense under international law, others, including Spain, have accused Israel of committing acts of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

A recent EU report presented to 27 member states in late June indicated that Israel may not be fulfilling its human rights commitments under the association agreement.

In his statement, Kristersson also stressed the need for more pressure on Hamas, calling for the immediate and unconditional release of hostages. He added that Sweden welcomes growing calls from Middle Eastern countries for Hamas to be disarmed and excluded from Gaza's future governance.