War in the Middle East causes alarm in Europe: 'Waves of migration from the region will come to Europe'

European leaders are concerned that the conflict in Gaza could lead to a situation similar to the 2015 refugee crisis.

According to reports byeuronews Turkish Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbanpointed to the "risk of terrorism," while his outgoing Polish counterpart Mateusz Morawiecki, "This conflict will certainly be accompanied by another major wave of illegal migration" he said.

At the summit held in Brussels, Orban stated, "Stability in the region is in the interest of Europeans. If Israel and Egypt become destabilized, waves of migration from this region will immediately reach Europe" he remarked.

THEY REFERENCED THE 2015 REFUGEE INFLUX

President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola also spoke of this risk. The Maltese leader stated, "If the conflict drags on, we must also consider refugees, such as the Syrian refugees in Lebanon. This is a reality that could bring us back to a situation we have experienced before. 2015 showed us what could happen" she said. 

In the EU, which hosts approximately 4 million Ukrainian refugees, many countries are expressing their opposition to new waves of migration. 

In 2015, Europe faced a massive influx of refugees, the majority of whom were Syrians, due to deteriorating living conditions in refugee camps in Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan.

"WE MUST SUPPORT EGYPT"

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, in a letter addressed to the leaders of the 27 member states, emphasized the need to establish a "strategic partnership" with Egypt, particularly to combat illegal migration toward the EU.

Von der Leyen said, "Egypt's role is crucial for the security and stability of the Middle East; it is hosting an increasing number of refugees, and we have a responsibility to support it" she stated.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi pointed out last week that Egypt, in particular, is hosting hundreds of thousands of refugees arriving from Sudan.

In July, the EU signed a similar partnership with Tunisia, aimed specifically at reducing the number of migrants leaving Tunisian shores and providing several hundred thousand euros in European aid.

Lebanon, already dragged into a deep political and economic crisis, has the highest number of refugees per capita in the world, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

According to data released in August, there are approximately 800,000 Syrian refugees in Lebanon.