The Palestinian resistance faction Hamas has welcomed calls by European parliamentarians to suspend an association agreement between the European Union and Israel.In a statement issued on Thursday, Hamas urged the EU to "translate these calls into action."It also called on the EU to punish Israel for what it described as the self-proclaimed Jewish state's "crimes and violations" against the Palestinian people.A group of 63 members of the European Parliament have urged EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini to suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement.The agreement, which has facilitated trade between the two sides since 2000, allows Israel to participate in a wide range of EU initiatives.European MPs said Israel had deliberately targeted civilians and committed war crimes during its devastating military onslaught against the Gaza Strip last summer.At least 2,160 Palestinians were killed - mostly civilians - and some 11,000 injured when Israel waged a 51-day offensive in the coastal strip last July and August.Israel claims that the onslaught was meant to halt rocket fire from the Gaza Strip, which has been reeling under a harsh Israeli blockade since 2006.Israel's summer offensive ended on August 26 when it signed a cease-fire deal with Palestinian resistance factions.