YnetNews.com reports: “Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said on Thursday that he had informed the Israeli ambassador, Modi Ephraim, that the Netherlands will advocate within the European Union to suspend the trade component of the Israel-EU Association Agreement, reflecting mounting European criticism of Israel over the war in Gaza.

Earlier Thursday, European Commission Vice President Teresa Ribera delivered a sharp rebuke of Israel, describing the situation in Gaza as an affront to humanity. ‘What we are seeing is a concrete population being targeted, killed and condemned to starve to death,’ she told Politico. ‘If it is not genocide, it looks very much like the definition used to express its meaning.’

Ribera highlighted the dire conditions in the Strip, where residents face a blockade, lack shelter and are deprived of food, water and medicine, according to reports. ‘A concrete population is confined with no homes — being destroyed — no food, water or medicines — being forbidden to access — and subject to bombing and shooting even when they are trying to get humanitarian aid,’ she said…”