Spain, Ireland, Belgium, Malta want EU summit to call for Gaza ceasefire

Spain, Ireland, Belgium and Malta want EU leaders to debate the situation in Gaza next week and jointly call for a lasting humanitarian ceasefire that would end the conflict, a letter to the chairman of EU summits showed. Leaders of the 27 EU countries will meet on Dec. 14-15 in Brussels to discuss help for Ukraine, fighting off Russian aggression, and a revision of the EU's long-term budget. The letter from the four prime ministers, addressed to European Council President Charles Michel who chairs EU summits, stressed the seriousness of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and the possibility of the conflict escalating throughout the region.