The United Kingdom, France, and Canada have jointly warned Israel that they may impose “concrete actions” if it continues its intensified military operations in Gaza, the BBC reported on Monday.
In a coordinated statement, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney urged Israel to halt its offensive and allow immediate humanitarian aid into Gaza.
They described the humanitarian conditions as “intolerable,” highlighting the full blockade that has blocked food, fuel, and medical supplies since early March.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed the criticism, accusing the Western leaders of effectively aiding Hamas by calling for an end to the war before the group is defeated. He argued that pushing for a ceasefire and Palestinian statehood would encourage more attacks against Israel.
Netanyahu said over the weekend that Israel would permit a “basic amount of food” into Gaza after an 11-week blockade but insisted on maintaining full control over the area.
The joint statement from the UK, France, and Canada called this measure “wholly inadequate” and warned that it could breach international humanitarian law. The leaders also condemned statements from some Israeli officials suggesting forced displacement of civilians, calling such rhetoric a violation of legal standards.
The United Nations echoed these concerns. UN humanitarian relief chief Tom Fletcher described the current aid flow as “a drop in the ocean” compared to the actual need.
While reaffirming Israel’s right to self-defence, the three nations warned that the current scale of military operations is disproportionate. They also called on Hamas to release the hostages taken during the 7 October 2023 attacks, which left around 1,200 people dead and 251 kidnapped. Israeli sources say 58 hostages are still in Gaza, with up to 23 believed to be alive.
Gaza’s health ministry, run by Hamas (a group designated as a terrorist organisation by several Western countries), reports that more than 53,000 Palestinians have been killed since the conflict began.
The joint statement reiterated calls for a ceasefire and endorsed a two-state solution, proposing an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel.
Netanyahu rejected the idea, instead citing former U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan as the way forward and urged European leaders to adopt that approach.
