The United Kingdom, France, and Canada have jointly warned Israel, stating they will take “concrete actions” if it continues its intensified military operations in Gaza, according to BBC reports on Monday.
In a unified statement, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney urged Israel to “halt its military operations” and “immediately permit humanitarian aid into Gaza.”
The leaders characterized the humanitarian crisis as “intolerable,” citing a complete blockade that has obstructed the delivery of food, fuel, and medicine to the area since early March.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel dismissed the criticism, alleging that Western leaders are incentivizing Hamas by advocating for an end to the conflict before the group is defeated. He contended that calls for a Palestinian state and a ceasefire would incite further attacks on Israel.
This past weekend, Netanyahu announced that Israel would permit “a basic amount of food” into Gaza after an 11-week blockade but reaffirmed its plans to maintain control over the entire territory.
The collective stance of the UK, France, and Canada deemed this action “wholly inadequate” and cautioned that it might contravene international humanitarian law.
Their statement also criticized some Israeli officials for rhetoric suggesting the forced displacement of civilians, reiterating that such measures would violate legal standards.
The United Nations has echoed these alarms. Tom Fletcher, the UN humanitarian relief chief, described the current aid access as “a drop in the ocean” relative to the vast needs.
While affirming Israel’s right to self-defense, the three nations emphasized that the military escalation has become disproportionate.
They also called on Hamas to release the hostages taken during the attacks on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 abductions. Israeli estimates indicate that 58 hostages are still in Gaza, with up to 23 believed to be alive.
According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, over 53,000 Palestinians have died since the onset of the conflict.
The joint statement reiterated demands for a ceasefire and support for a two-state solution, proposing the establishment of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel.
Netanyahu rejected this idea, referencing former U.S. President Donald Trump’s vision for resolving the conflict and urging European leaders to adopt that approach.
