The United Kingdom, France and Canada are “horrified” by the military escalation in Gaza and have threatened to take “concrete actions” against Israel if it does not stop its renewed offensive and lift aid restrictions.
On Monday, Starmer, together with France’s Emmanuel Macron and Canada’s Mark Carney released a joint statement calling Israel’s escalation “wholly disproportionate”.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has launched Operation Gideon’s Chariots in a bid to control all of Gaza after cutting off food, fuel and medical aid in early March, accused the three countries of offering a “huge prize” to the Palestinian group Hamas, which is currently holding dozens of Israeli captives.
The three leaders slammed Netanyahu’s move the previous day to allow a few trucks into the besieged enclave after nearly three months of total blockade as “inadequate”, warning that the Israeli government risked breaching international humanitarian law. Israel reportedly allowed in just a few trucks on Monday, but more were expected on Tuesday.
They said they would not “stand by” while Israel pursued “egregious actions”, highlighting the “abhorrent language” on pushing Palestinians out of Gaza used by members of the Israeli government like Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, and underlining that forced displacement would be illegal.
Husam Zumlot, the Palestinian ambassador to the UK said the “number one” thing the three countries could do was impose an arms embargo on Israel. “The UK has taken some measures to suspend some arms exports. It’s not enough. It has got to be full and comprehensive,” he said.
Zumlot also said the states should act to ensure that “war criminals” were “held accountable”. “They must absolutely support our efforts at the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice,” he said.
Francesca Albanese, the UN’s special rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, questioned how the threatened sanctions would be targeted. “Targeting whom? You need to impose sanctions on the state. It’s not about the prime minister.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Tuesday that Israel’s partial lifting of the blockade on Monday was “totally insufficient”.
The three leaders spoke out as 23 countries, including the UK, France and Canada, issued a joint statement urging Israel to let aid into Gaza, warning that the population faced “starvation”.
The statement, published on Monday, said humanitarian aid should never be politicised, taking aim at Israel’s “new model” for aid, which would see the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation delivering supplies under Israeli military protection.
Human rights organisation Amnesty International said it was “outrageous and morally reprehensible” that the world had taken “nearly 80 days of broadcast starvation and cruelty amidst genocide” to exert pressure on Israel to lift its siege.
As the world focused its attention on Israel, the military stepped up its deadly attacks across the Strip.
At least 87 people were killed and 290 wounded during the past 24-hour reporting period, according to a daily update by the Gaza Health Ministry.
The casualties bring the total number of people confirmed killed in Gaza during the war to 53,573 with 121,688 wounded, the ministry said.
Israel has however protested the decision and statement by the UK, France and Canada describing it as anti semitic.
