In an open letter, nearly 1,650 staff members from European institutions called for swift measures to pressure Israel to open Gaza's maritime borders to humanitarian aid and to end the famine ravaging the enclave. The letter, shared on social media, was sent on July 29 to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas.
The majority of the 950 signatories working at the Commission – the largest employer among European institutions, with 32,000 staff – are members of the diplomatic service and the department responsible for civil protection and humanitarian aid operations, according to the European official who initiated the letter and who wished to remain anonymous. The letter accused the European Commission of inaction regarding the "catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza" and called for a stance "in a moment of urgent need of action, when silence would mean complicity."
Some of the signatories are involved in the EU Staff for Peace movement, founded in October 2023 at the start of Israel's war in the Gaza Strip in response to terrorist attacks by Hamas. The group's goal was to work for the application of international law to the situation in Gaza. Faryda Hussein, one of the founding members of the movement in Brussels and a Commission employee until August 2024, estimated that about 2,500 European officials and staff have now joined the movement.
Call for 'internal dialogue'
European employees first voiced their concerns through internal channels within their administration. "As civil servants, we are not inclined to seek public attention, we are asking for an internal dialogue to be opened," said Hussein. When they found they were not being heard, they opted for an open letter, published on the movement's website and social media accounts.
Asked about the initiative, Balazs Ujvari, spokesperson for the European Commission, argued that workplaces and tools provided for staff "are not the place for activism for or against certain political causes." He stressed that staff must comply with their duties and obligations by respecting "the principles of impartiality and loyalty to the Union," and added that, "should a breach of Staff's statutory obligations occur, the relevant Commission services will assess it and address the situation in line with the existing procedures."
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