Top EU Official: Hamas Responsible for Gaza Conflict

Michel called Hamas a 'terrorist movement.' Learn more.
Hamas bears full responsibility for the recent violence in Gaza, a top European Union official said Monday during a visit to the coastal strip, The Jerusalem Post reported. "At this time we have to also recall the overwhelming responsibility of Hamas," Louis Michel, European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, said at a press conference in Jabalya, a town in northern Gaza. "I intentionally say this here - Hamas is a terrorist movement and it has to be denounced as such." Michel was in the region to announce new EU-sponsored aid and development projects for the Palestinians. The United States has also pledged its commitment to reconstructing Gaza in partnership with the Palestinian Authority.