Israel's Foreign Minister speaks in Brussels amid disagreement at home about the war.

Israel's foreign minister was in Brussels on Monday to address his European Union counterparts as part of a “diplomatic battle” to win support from the bloc amid mounting criticism over the human toll of the war and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's refusal to consider Palestinians. stands.

Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz would meet in a closed session with EU foreign ministers to discuss the defeat of Hamas and the return of hostages from Gaza, his office said. In brief remarks to reporters before the meeting, Mr. Katz said he would discuss Israel's need for international support to achieve both goals.

“I am here to meet my colleagues, the EU Foreign Ministers, and to discuss two important issues. First of all, bring back our hostages,” Mr. Katz said, holding up photos of the youngest hostage, one-year-old Kfir Bibas, and several others. He added that Israel needed EU support to guarantee its security, adding: “Our brave soldiers are fighting under very difficult conditions.”

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki was also expected to address EU officials in a separate appearance.

Health officials in Gaza said on Sunday that the death toll from Israeli attacks since October 7 has surpassed 25,000. Even the United States, Israel's closest ally, has put pressure on Israel to reduce civilian casualties. And anger is growing among the Israeli public over the government's failure to secure the release of more than a hundred hostages believed to be still held in Gaza after nearly four months of war.

Senior Israeli military leaders have expressed frustrations over the feasibility of both freeing the hostages and wiping out Hamas, as Netanyahu has pushed for, and over his ambiguity on a post-war plan for Gaza.

Over the weekend, Netanyahu categorically rejected Hamas's call for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza in exchange for the release of hostages, and redoubled his opposition to the eventual creation of a Palestinian state, as President Biden and several European leaders have done. It is claimed that this is the only viable long-term solution.

“My emphasis over the years has prevented the creation of a Palestinian state that would have posed an existential danger to Israel,” Netanyahu said in a statement in Hebrew on Sunday. “As long as I am Prime Minister, I will continue to push for this strongly.”

Mr. Netanyahu's comments came two days after he spoke by phone with Mr. Biden, who expressed optimism to reporters after calling that the two leaders could find consensus on a two-state solution.

Biden's Middle East coordinator at the White House, Brett McGurk, headed back to the region on Sunday in hopes of making progress in freeing hostages, according to two US officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of diplomatic talks.

The officials said he would meet with leaders in Egypt and Qatar, who have been key players in the talks and helped broker a ceasefire in November that saw Hamas free more than 100 hostages. McGurk was expected to meet in Cairo with General Abbas Kamel – the head of Egypt's General Intelligence Service and widely considered the country's second most powerful official – and in Doha with Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al- Thani.

Matina Stevis-Gridneff reporting contributed.