The European Union’s new foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini on Saturday appealed for the establishment of a Palestinian state, saying the world "cannot afford" another war in Gaza.

The European Union's new foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini on Saturday appealed for the establishment of a Palestinian state, saying the world "cannot afford" another war in Gaza.

"We need a Palestinian state -- that is the ultimate goal and this is the position of all the European Union," Mogherini said during a trip to Gaza, devastated by the third Israeli offensive in six years.

Hamas and other resistance groups confronted a brutal 50-day Israeli assault against the besieged strip, which resulted in the deaths of 2,140 Palestinians and the injury of more than 12,000 others.

Mogherini's visit comes as frequent clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police occur around the Al-Aqsa mosque in occupied east al-Quds.

Recent confrontations have been largely triggered by calls by Zionist extremists for Jews to pray in the holy mosque.

She voiced hope that Gaza would avoid another major conflict.
"It is not only the people of Gaza that can't afford having a fourth war, all the world cannot afford this," she said.

"We cannot just sit and wait. If we sit and wait it will go on for another 40 years. We have to have action now," said Mogherini, a former Italian foreign minister who recently took over from Catherine Ashton as the top EU diplomat.

Palestinians are seeking to achieve statehood in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank with east Jerusalem as the capital.

Sweden last month became the first EU member in western Europe to officially recognize the state of Palestine.

Asked whether the EU might do the same, Mogherini said that such a move was "not among the competences" of the 28-nation bloc.