The leaders of the United Kingdom, France, and Canada warned Israel they are ready to take “concrete actions” unless it ends what they called an “egregious” expansion of its military operations in Gaza.UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Prime Minister Mark Carney issued a joint statement on Monday demanding Israel stop its military operations and immediately open Gaza’s border crossings to food, fuel, and medicine.“No aid has gone in since March 2. The civilian toll is disastrous and intolerable,” said the three leaders, adding that the continuing blockade “risks breaching international humanitarian law.”Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed the warning, accusing the three governments of handing “a huge prize to Hamas” by pressing for a ceasefire before the militant group is defeated. .“The fact that Hamas has reportedly applauded the statement issued by Canada, the UK, and France speaks volumes about its misguided premise,” said Noah Shack, Interim President of Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs.“If Israel were to cease targeting Hamas, hostages would remain chained in tunnels and Hamas would repeat the October 7 massacre – as it has explicitly vowed. If Hamas were to release the hostages and cease targeting Israel, this war will come to an end. That is why thousands of Gazans are in the streets today bravely protesting Hamas rule.” After an 11 week siege, Netanyahu said Israel would permit only “a basic amount of food” to enter the territory while the Israel Defence Forces move to “control all of Gaza.” Starmer, Macron, and Carney called that pledge “wholly inadequate.”.They also condemned recent remarks by far right Israeli ministers suggesting Gazans might be permanently displaced. “Permanent forced displacement is a breach of international humanitarian law,” the statement said.United Nations Humanitarian Relief Chief Tom Fletcher called the handful of humanitarian aid trucks cleared by Israel “a drop in the ocean of what is urgently needed.”The three leaders repeated their support for Israel’s right to defend itself but labelled the latest escalation “wholly disproportionate.” .They urged Hamas to release the 58 remaining hostages from the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack that killed approximately 1,200 Israeli citizens.Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry says more than 53,000 Palestinians have died since Israel retaliated for the terrorist attack.Starmer, Macron, and Carney again backed an immediate ceasefire and a two state solution, arguing that only a negotiated settlement can stop ongoing violence.
