ATHENS

EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Wednesday slammed Israeli ministers’ remarks calling for the displacement of people from the Gaza Strip.

“I strongly condemn the inflammatory and irresponsible statements by Israeli ministers Ben Gvir & Smotrich slandering the Palestinian population of Gaza and calling for a plan for their emigration,” he said in a statement posted on X.

He also stressed, “Forced displacements are strictly prohibited as a grave violation of IHL (international humanitarian law), and words matter.”

Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7.

At least 22,185 Palestinians have since been killed and 57,035 others injured, according to Gaza’s health authorities, while nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.