UK, France, Canada warn 'Israel' over Gaza offensive, urge aid entry
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UK, France, and Canada condemn "Israel’s" actions in Gaza, decry threats of forced displacement, and join 22 nations demanding urgent aid access.
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Saleh Zenati carried the body of his infant nephew killed in an Israeli strike during his funeral in Khan Younis on May 18, 2025 (AP)
The leaders of Britain, France, and Canada on Monday strongly condemned what they called Israeli “egregious actions” in Gaza, criticized its expanded military offensive, and denounced threats from Israeli officials suggesting the mass displacement of Palestinian civilians.
In a joint statement, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney declared, “We will not stand by" while the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues down this path.
They reiterated their commitment to recognizing a Palestinian state as part of efforts to achieve a "two-state solution", saying they are ready to collaborate with others to that end.
The statement by Britain, France, and Canada also denounced "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."
It underscored that "Israel's denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable and risks breaching international humanitarian law."
It also decried the "permanent forced displacement" as a breach of international law.
"We oppose any attempt to expand settlements in the West Bank ... We will not hesitate to take further action, including targeted sanctions," the three leaders threatened.
22 nations demand that humanitarian aid enter Gaza
Their remarks coincided with a broader appeal from 22 nations, including the UK, France, and Canada, demanding that "Israel" immediately allow a full resumption of humanitarian aid into Gaza, where the population, they warned, “faces starvation.”
The Gaza government media office stated that despite "Israel's" claims of allowing nine aid trucks into the territory, no substantial humanitarian assistance has reached the Strip in over 80 days due to the ongoing siege and worsening famine conditions.
In a statement issued on Monday, the media office clarified that these nine trucks, which carried only limited nutritional supplements for children, represent a fraction of the 44,000 aid trucks that should have entered Gaza over the past 80 days, reiterating that the besieged enclave requires at least 500 aid trucks and 50 fuel trucks daily to meet its urgent humanitarian needs.
The foreign ministers of the key donor countries, who also included Japan and New Zealand, said that "whilst we acknowledge indications of a limited restart of aid, Israel blocked humanitarian aid entering Gaza for over two months".
According to the statement, "food, medicines, and essential supplies are exhausted," and "the population faces starvation."
"Gaza's people must receive the aid they desperately need," the statement added.
The declaration was signed by Australia, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
The declaration was also endorsed by the EU's foreign policy leader, Kaja Kallas, the bloc's crisis management commissioner, Hadja Lahbib, and the Mediterranean commissioner, Dubravka Suica.
Nine aid trucks allowed to enter Gaza, 'a drop in the ocean' of needs: UN
The United Nations announced on Monday that nine aid trucks were granted entry into Gaza—the first humanitarian deliveries since "Israel" partially eased its blockade.
However, UN officials stressed that the limited access falls drastically short of what is urgently required.
Describing the aid as "a drop in the ocean," UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher welcomed the move but criticized the scale, noting that Israeli authorities had maintained a complete blockade of the enclave for 11 weeks prior.
"Today, nine of our trucks were cleared to enter, via the Kerem Shalom crossing," Fletcher said in a statement, warning that, amid ongoing bombardments and severe hunger, the risks of looting and insecurity remain high.
"The limited quantities of aid now being allowed into Gaza are of course, no substitute for unimpeded access to civilians in such dire need."
"Israel", meanwhile, reported that five aid trucks had entered the Palestinian territory as of Monday.
