EU Council President Antonio Costa has expressed the EU’s solidarity with the Israeli people in a conversation with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, in which the pair discussed the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, Reuters reports.

“I expressed the EU’s solidarity with the Israeli people in light of the daily attacks by Iran and Hezbollah. Such attacks must stop immediately,” Costa has said in a post on X.

“Amid the ongoing violence in the Middle East, I called for de-escalation and maximum restraint, the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, and full respect for international law by all parties,” Costa adds.

Costa has also urged “Israel to seize the moment for direct talks with Lebanon”, adding that the humanitarian situation in Gaza must urgently improve, “as well as the need for Hamas disarmament”.