Image Laurent Fabius, the French foreign minister, left, with Paolo Gentiloni, the Italian foreign minister. Credit... John Thys/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

More than 300,000 people have crossed into Europe by sea — most of them from Libya to Italy or from Turkey to Greece — and 2,600 have died in the attempt. Thirty to 40 drowned Friday after a boat carrying more than 120 Somalis, Sudanese and Nigerians deflated off the coast of Libya.

The migrants who manage to get to Greece must then begin a difficult trek across Macedonia and Serbia before sneaking into Hungary in hopes of getting, eventually, to preferred destinations like Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands, which are prosperous, offer the chance for jobs and have been more welcoming than other nations.

Image Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain. Credit... Francisco Seco/Associated Press

Nearly 170,000 migrants have crossed Hungary’s southern border this year, officials said. Some, using human smugglers or managing to gain access to trains or taxis, have made their way to the West, while others are waiting in crowded Hungarian reception centers for their cases to be resolved, or clustering at Keleti and other Hungarian train depots.

In response to reports that Germany was prepared to be more accepting of migrants from war-torn Syria, the number of people pouring into Hungary rose rapidly in recent weeks. Two months ago, around 2,000 a day were crossing the border. Within the last week, it grew to 3,000 or more, and they continued to arrive despite the closing of the Budapest train station and a crackdown by Hungarian officials.