In today’s edition of The Capitals, read about the EU edging toward Israel sanctions, a rough landing for the US-EU deal, China ripping into MEPs over Taiwan, and steel safeguards set to hit EFTA states.

By Sarah Marsh and Andreas Rinke BERLIN (Reuters) -German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is under pressure to take a firmer stance on Israel, with members of his own coalition calling for Berlin to join a statement by dozens of Western nations condemning the "inhumane killing" of Palestinians.

At the G7, the German chancellor's support for Israeli violence reflects the country's deep investment in Islamophobia, Orientalism and colonial domination across the Middle East

Israel ended a truce in Gaza in March, hoping to break Hamas. The move has heightened suffering for Palestinians but achieved few, if any, Israeli goals.

The leaders of Britain, France, and Germany have demanded Israel allow unrestricted aid into Gaza to end a “humanitarian catastrophe."

Israel will coordinate airdrops of aid into Gaza from foreign countries in the coming days, an Israeli security official confirmed to ABC News.

Former German president Joachim Gauck has criticized Israel's military campaign in Gaza, calling it "disproportionate" and "irresponsible. " "Too much suffering is being inflicted on too many innocent people to punish the guilty,

LONDON — Britain threatened Tuesday to take further action against Israel if it does not agree to end the war in Gaza, a day after two dozen mostly European countries condemned Israel’s restrictions on aid shipments into the territory and the killings of hundreds of Palestinians trying to reach food.