A protester holds a placard in front of the Greek parliament, during a rally in support to Palestinian people, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Athens, Greece, May 21, 2025. [Louisa Gouliamaki/Reuters]
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Thursday condemned the latest strikes on Gaza as “unjustifiable and unacceptable,” and called on ally Israel to “stop the operations” so food and medical assistance can reach the enclave’s civilian population.
“I have no hesitation in saying that what has been happening in Gaza in recent days is unjustifiable and unacceptable. Israel must stop these operations. The supply of humanitarian aid and medicine must be restored,” Mitsotakis told Skai radio, a day after thousands of demonstrators gathered in front of Greece’s Parliament on Syntagma Square to call for an end to the bloodshed.
Dozens of people, including children, were killed in a new offensive by Israel on Wednesday, according to reports citing officials in Gaza.
Under international pressure, Israel has allowed dozens of aid trucks into besieged Gaza after blocking all food, medicine, fuel and other material for nearly three months. But the supplies have been sitting on the Gaza side of the Kerem Shalom crossing with Israel, the Associated Press reported on Wednesday.
The mounting humanitarian crisis in the enclave has turned up the pressure on Israel, including by the United Kingdom, which suspended free trade talks with Israel on Tuesday over its intensifying assault, a day after the UK, Canada and France promised concrete steps to prompt Israel to halt the war, according to the Associated Press.
“We have taken a clear stance in favor of an immediate ceasefire… We are by no means silent,” Mitsotakis said in response to criticism from the political opposition that Greece’s center-right government has not taken a firmer position on the spiralling violence.
“We have a duty to speak hard truths to our allies. I have conveyed this truth directly to the leadership of Israel. If we are to play the role of a bridge-builder, we will do so through meaningful and persistent diplomacy,” he added. [Kathimerini/AP]
