Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar says there is “some truth” to allegations that the EU is applying double standards in Gaza.

More countries in the European Union have expressed support for a humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, as Israel’s attack on Gaza plunges the Palestinian territory into catastrophe Humanitarian crisis.

In his remarks on Tuesday at an EU summit, the Irish prime minister focused primarily on Ukraine Leo Varadkar called on his colleagues to take a firmer stance and call for an end to fighting between Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas in the besieged Gaza Strip.

“I think the European Union has lost credibility because we are unable to take a stronger and more unified position on Israel and Palestine,” Varadkar said.

“We have lost credibility in the global south, which actually makes up most of the world, because of the perceived double standards. And to be honest, there is some truth to that.”

Ahead of the summit, Varadkar and the prime ministers of Spain, Belgium and Malta wrote to European Council President Charles Michel, asking him to hold a “serious debate” on the war between Israel and Hamas and the “humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza “plays”.

“We must urgently call on all parties to declare a permanent humanitarian ceasefire that can lead to an end to hostilities,” the four leaders wrote.

The comments came several days after a large majority of nations were represented at the United Nations General Assembly voted for it a resolution calling for a humanitarian ceasefire, and the number of Palestinians killed in Israel’s attack on Gaza exceeded 18,000, most of them women and children. The resolution was adopted by 153 nations, with 23 abstaining and 10 voting against.

At Tuesday’s UN vote, 17 EU countries were among those backing calls for a ceasefire. In October, only eight had supported a resolution calling for a ceasefire.

Varadkar insisted that a ceasefire could “lead to a new peace process and Palestinian statehood, which is the only way to ensure justice and security for all people living in the region.”

Spanish socialist leader Pedro Sánchez, whose country currently holds the rotating presidency of the EU, supported his Irish colleague.

“Europe must raise its voice… with a clear, strong, firm and unified voice,” he said.

The current round of fighting began on October 7, when Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and captured about 240 others.

Israel responded with a devastating attack on Gaza, bombing the area and launching a ground offensive, claiming it wanted to overthrow Hamas.

The Hamas attack was widely condemnedand Israel received strong international support from the United States and several European countries for its war against Hamas.

But as the Israeli onslaught continued, leading to dire humanitarian conditions and displacing more than 80 percent of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, some allies have tempered their support with increasing warnings about the impact on civilians.

Western countries have also been accused of employing them Double standardsin which he rebuked Russia for violating international law during its invasion of Ukraine, but remained relatively quiet about similar actions by Israel.

US President Joe Biden said on Tuesday that Israel poses risks Lose support due to “indiscriminate bombing” in a rare moment of harsh criticism.

But despite assembly International printingIsrael has shown no signs of curtailing its fighting in Gaza, where UN officials have described conditions as “hell on earth”.

On Thursday, the Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the fighting in Gaza would last “more than several months.”