The number of people killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7, 2023, has risen to 52,928, with 119,846 injured, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
In the past 24 hours alone, 20 people were killed and 125 injured in new airstrikes. Since Israel ended the ceasefire on March 18, 2,799 people have been killed and 7,805 injured. The humanitarian crisis continues to worsen amid ongoing bombardments.
EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic warned that a proposed 30% US tariff on European goods would effectively amount to a trade ban, severely disrupting transatlantic supply chains.
Speaking ahead of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, Sefcovic expressed disappointment over a letter from US President Donald Trump that halted expected trade progress. “We were close to an agreement,” he said, but now “must prepare for all outcomes.”
The EU has delayed retaliatory measures on $72 billion worth of US goods until August 1, hoping for a negotiated resolution. Sefcovic emphasized that “no one wants a trade war,” while France urged faster preparation for countermeasures and Hungary blamed the EU Commission’s weak response to US pressure.
Danish and Lithuanian ministers echoed calls to avoid escalation but emphasized EU readiness to defend its interests.
TR