European concerns grow over Israeli ground operation in Gaza

While it's true that most European countries support the elimination of Hamas, a significant number of voices within these countries have begun to express concerns about the Israeli ground operation within the Gaza Strip and its potential ramifications.

The European concerns about the war can be categorized into three levels:

Repatriation of their citizens

Europe, especially France, the UK, Portugal, the Netherlands, and Germany, want to repatriate all their citizens from the Gaza Strip after Hamas took them there on the first day of the Al-Aqsa Flood operation.

Furthermore, the European Union aims to ensure the exit of its citizens from Gaza, not to mention revealing the fate of the missing individuals.

In a recent development, French President Emmanuel Macron revealed that thirty French citizens were killed on October 7th last year, and nine others are still missing or detained.

Global oil price surge

The second European concern revolves around the global increase in oil prices, mainly if the ground operation occurs and its implications for the continent.

Moreover, a third of the world's oil and gas supply originates from the Middle East to Europe and around the globe, with eighty percent of transport taking place through the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

This strait between Oman and Iran, spanning about 50 kilometers in width, could be closed by Iran if the United States tightens its sanctions or as a military measure to exert pressure on countries supporting Israel.

Such a closure would lead to a decrease in production and exports, raising demand. This, in turn, is what European countries fear as winter approaches.

Unlawful migration

The third European concern is the potential influx of hundreds of thousands of Gaza people into the European Union.

However, this mass migration could give rise to acts of terrorism within Europe.

The fears of this scenario were prominent in the meetings of the Union's Justice and Home Affairs Council held last Thursday in Luxembourg.

But the question remains whether European pressures will succeed in preventing the Israeli ground operation in Gaza.