Taoiseach Leo Varadkar speaking to the press when he arrived at European headquarters in Brussels on Friday to attend the EU summit. Photograph: Miguel Medina/AFP via Getty ImagesEuropean Union leaders failed to back calls for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza at the end of a crunch summit despite Taoiseach Leo Varadkar saying an “overwhelming majority” of countries were in favour. “The position of the overwhelming majority of the EU countries now is that there should be a ceasefire,” Mr Varadkar said. Instead a blocking minority prevented the EU calling for a humanitarian ceasefire. Speaking after the conclusion of the summit, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said the “immediate priority” was to deliver as much humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip as possible.

Source: The Irish Times December 16, 2023 11:55 UTC