European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced, on Monday, additional aid amounting to 25 million euros for the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, bringing to 100 million the total humanitarian aid allocated to it by the European Union, according to Agence France-Presse.

During a speech before European ambassadors in Brussels, von der Leyen indicated seeking to establish a sea corridor from Cyprus to transport humanitarian aid on a regular basis to the Gaza Strip.

She stressed that the flow of aid to Gaza from Egypt “is still very limited,” and that the European Union is working to establish other ways. Von der Leyen said it was necessary for Israel to seek “to avoid civilian casualties” in its operation in Gaza. She added: “It is clear that Hamas is using innocent Palestinians and hostages as human shields. It is horrific and absolutely evil.” She continued: “Our hearts bleed over the images of children being pulled out from under the rubble.”

Von der Leyen told diplomats that even as the conflict intensifies, there must be a “vision” for a two-state solution.

She stressed that the basic condition when the fighting stops is that “Gaza will not be a safe haven for terrorists,” and that “Hamas” will not remain responsible for the region. She said: “Various ideas are being discussed on how to ensure this, including the formation of an international peace force with a mandate from the United Nations.”

Israeli forces continued their intensive strikes on the Gaza Strip on Monday, which they launched nearly a month ago, in response to a Hamas attack on Israel on October 7.

The Hamas Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip announced that the death toll as a result of the ongoing Israeli bombing since October 7 had risen to exceed 10,000 dead.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed his rejection of a “temporary truce without the release of hostages” held by Hamas since its attack, and the Israeli army says they are about 240 people, including foreign citizens.

They were kidnapped during the unprecedented attack launched by Hamas on Israel, the most violent since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. More than 1,400 people were killed in this attack, most of them civilians, according to the Israeli authorities.