Belgian Deputy Prime Minister calls for sanctions against Israel over Gaza bombings

The Belgian Deputy Prime Minister called on the Belgian government on Wednesday to adopt sanctions against Israel and investigate bombings of hospitals and refugee camps in Gaza, Reuters reported.

"It is time for sanctions against Israel. The rain of bombs is inhumane," Deputy Prime Minister Petra De Sutter told the Nieuwsblad newspaper.

"It is clear that Israel does not care about international calls for a ceasefire," she said.
De Sutter says the European Union should immediately suspend its association agreement with Israel, which aims for better economic and political cooperation.

She also said that an import ban on products from the occupied Palestinian territories should be implemented and that violent Israeli settlers, politicians, and soldiers responsible for war crimes should be banned from entering the EU.

At the same time, Belgium should increase funding for the International Criminal Court in The Hague to investigate bombings and simultaneously reduce the flow of money to Hamas. "This is a terrorist organization. Terror costs money, and there must be sanctions for companies and people who give money to Hamas," De Sutter added.

Palestinian officials say that since October 7, more than 10,000 people have been killed, 40 percent of whom are children.