Several countries have warned Israel against taking further military action in Gaza, demanding that it lift restrictions on humanitarian aid in the area.
A joint statement from Canada, France, and the United Kingdom said the nations “strongly oppose” Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
“The Israeli Government’s denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable and risks breaching International Humanitarian Law,” the statement said. “We condemn the abhorrent language used recently by members of the Israeli Government, threatening that, in their despair at the destruction of Gaza, civilians will start to relocate. Permanent forced displacement is a breach of international humanitarian law.”
While the statement acknowledged that Israel “suffered a heinous attack” on October 7, 2023, the countries condemned the Israeli government’s “escalation” of the war.
“We oppose any attempt to expand settlements in the West Bank. Israel must halt settlements which are illegal and undermine the viability of a Palestinian state and the security of both Israelis and Palestinians. We will not hesitate to take further action, including targeted sanctions,” the statement added, later reiterating the countries’ commitment to recognizing a Palestinian state “as a contribution to achieving a two-state solution.”
Discussing the situation in Gaza, President Donald Trump told reporters last week, “I think a lot of good things are going to happen over the next month, and we’re going to see. We have to help also out the Palestinians. You know, a lot of people are starving on Gaza, so we have to look at both sides.”
