Armin Laschet, chairman of the Federal Foreign Committee in the German Bundestag, stated on October 6th, 2025, that the European Union is irrelevant as a mediator in the Middle East conflict following the end of the Gaza war, citing "one-sided declarations" and threats of sanctions by the commission president. Laschet asserted that only the "Trump plan," with Arab world support, can facilitate an early hostage release and armistice, while criticizing "anti-Semitic Hamas supporters" in Europe. The comments were made via a post on X (formerly Twitter) at an unspecified time, but reported within the current window. Laschet elaborated that the American president is the sole initiator of the current process toward de-escalation, effectively disqualifying the EU as a negotiation partner. He expressed disappointment in Europe's stance, contrasting it with the progress seen under the US-led initiative. The German lawmaker's remarks come as technical ceasefire negotiations involving Jared Kushner and Steve Whitkoff are reportedly underway in Egypt, aiming to end the war and secure the release of hostages. These developments follow reports from earlier today regarding renewed prisoner exchange negotiations between Israel and Hamas. Separately, the Israeli Army General Staff, led by Lieutenant General Ayat Zamir, had ordered increased military readiness to the highest level for defense during the Eid Sukut holiday. Zamir stated, "We are always ready for it, we are ready to defend and attack all the fronts. We continue our mission so that the Israeli people can celebrate Eid Sukut in peace and security." Earlier in the day, approximately 160 participants of the Global Sumud Flotilla, including Greta Thunberg, arrived in Greece after their release from Israeli detention. The Global Humanitarian Foundation reported distributing over one million meals on October 6th, bringing their total to over 181 million meals distributed to date. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs had previously characterized the flotilla as a "publicity stunt" due to minimal aid.
