EUROPE’S response to Israel’s war on Gaza is a “failure,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned today as more Palestinians were killed while seeking aid.

Mr Sanchez, the first senior European leader to accuse Israel of genocide, welcomed the growing number of European states following Spain’s lead in recognising Palestinian statehood.

But he added: “It is also the reality that, within the European Union, there are countries that are divided when it comes to how to influence Israel.

“It’s not acceptable and we can’t last longer if we want to increase our credibility when it comes to other crises, such as the one we face in Ukraine.

“What we’re now witnessing in Gaza is perhaps one of the darkest episodes of international relations in the 21st century.”

At least 53 Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks today, hospital officials said, with at least three dying while waiting for food in the south.

And aid groups reported that air and ground assaults around Gaza City were pushing families toward the coast.

The Site Management Cluster said people were trapped by the high cost of moving, logistical hurdles and fear of being permanently displaced.

Israeli forces dropped grenades on schools sheltering the displaced in Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood, igniting tents.

Sixty-year-old resident Zakeya Sami said: “The occupation destroyed houses, burned tents, and drones played audio messages ordering people to leave the area.

“If the takeover of Gaza City isn’t stopped, we might die, and we are not going to forgive anyone who stands and watches without doing anything to prevent our death.”

Meanwhile, starvation continues with the UN agency for child rights, Unicef, warning that every child under five — more than 320,000 across Gaza — is at risk of acute malnutrition.

“With famine at risk of spreading, children urgently need a mass influx of humanitarian aid — including specialised nutrition products,” the group said on X.

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification system projected 132,000 children under five could die of hunger by June 2026.

Israeli army chief Eyal Zamir visited Gaza today, vowing to intensify combat operations

And US President Donald Trump posted online that “things will change rapidly” if Hamas releases all the Israeli captives held in Gaza.

“IT WILL END!” he wrote in all-caps.

The Trump administration, Israel’s largest ally, has blamed Hamas for a failure to reach a ceasefire deal despite the group agreeing to several proposals put forward.