"EU Urges Two-State Solution, Challenges Israeli Stance on Palestinian Statehood"

European Union foreign ministers advocate for the creation of a Palestinian state as the only viable path to peace in the Middle East, expressing concern over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's rejection of the idea. As the death toll in Gaza rises, calls for a ceasefire and a return to the peace process intensify. The EU, despite being the top aid provider to Palestinians, holds little leverage over Israel, and the dispute over Gaza's future poses a major obstacle to postwar governance and reconstruction. The EU is considering a peace conference, but Israel's support is deemed crucial, while plans for an EU naval mission to ensure maritime traffic security in the Red Sea are also discussed amidst regional tensions.