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A spokesman for the European Commission expressed concern over the Israeli security cabinet's approval of the expansion of military operations in the Gaza Strip and called on Israel to exercise restraint.
This spokesman told a press conference that the move will cause more casualties and more suffering for the Palestinians. Negotiations are the only way to achieve the release of the prisoners and a cessation of all hostilities, and the European Union urges Israel to lift the blockade on Gaza so that it can begin large-scale humanitarian aid.