Slovenian President Natasa Pirc Musar delivered a powerful speech at the European Parliament on Wednesday, condemning what she explicitly described as a "genocide" unfolding in Gaza.

Her comments marked one of the strongest denunciations of Israel's ongoing military assault by a European head of state, drawing a standing ovation from parliamentarians.

“I will dare say this here and today in the European Parliament… we are witnessing the genocide,” President Pirc Musar declared. “We are witnessing it, watching it, and we remain silent.”

The Slovenian leader addressed the plenary session during a debate on the escalating crisis in Israel and Gaza, stating that the situation in the Middle East has become a source of deep personal anguish.

“I believe that the events in the Middle East… often cause me sleepless nights,” she told MEPs.

President Pirc Musar criticized the European Union’s lack of coordinated action, accusing it of falling short in the face of mass civilian suffering.

“The European Union has unfortunately been too divided and ineffective,” she said, urging EU institutions to take decisive steps to halt the violence.

Calling for a swift end to hostilities, the Slovenian president stressed the urgency of alleviating what she described as “unbearable humanitarian conditions” endured by the people of Gaza.

She reaffirmed Slovenia’s commitment to upholding international and humanitarian law and emphasized that a lasting solution must include the recognition of Palestine.

While many global actors continue to call for restraint, Israel has rejected ceasefire appeals, continuing its military operations throughout the Gaza Strip. President Pirc Musar’s candid intervention has intensified pressure on EU leaders to abandon neutrality and confront the human cost of the conflict more directly.

Since October 2023, the Israeli military has waged an unrelenting war on the Gaza Strip, leaving nearly 53,700 Palestinians dead—most of them women and children.