Malta will be receiving more injured Palestinian children for medical treatment after having welcomed three-year-old Selah Hajras in February, Prime Minister Robert Abela said on Wednesday.

He was speaking in Brussels before the start of a two-day European leaders' meeting.

The summit will be discussing the situation in Ukraine and the Middle East on Wednesday before focusing on the economy and competitiveness on Thursday. The EU's relations with Turkey are also on the agenda.

Abela stressed that Malta will reiterate its call for the European leaders to seek an immediate and permanent ceasefire in the Gaza strip and a restoration of peace.

He recalled his recent meeting with the relatives of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza and said it was a 'heartbreaking' encounter, with the relatives not knowing if their relatives were dead or alive.

They had insisted that he urge the European leaders to call for a ceasefire and the return of the hostages, the prime minister said. 

He said that he would also condemn Iran's attack on Israel last Saturday and urge all sides not to further raise tensions.   

European Parliament president Roberta Metsola, also present for the summit, underlined the importance of the Single Market as Europe’s greatest economic driver.

Only by increasing productivity, speeding-up investments in own industrial capabilities and integrating the Single Market further, could the EU reduce strategic dependencies, while simultaneously supporting and sustaining economic growth, she said.