London: United Kingdom, France, and Canada have threatened targeted sanctions if Israel continues its military operations in Gaza and prevents the entry of humanitarian aid.
“If Israel does not cease the renewed military offensive and lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid, we will take further concrete actions in response,” a joint statement from the leaders of the three countries read.
Those actions could include targeted sanctions, they warned, according to CNN.
Netanyahu responded by accusing the leaders of “offering a huge prize” to the Hamas fighters who attacked Israel on October 7 and “inviting more such atrocities” to follow.
In a separate joint statement, foreign ministers from 23 countries, including France, Germany, Italy and the UK, and EU representatives called upon Israel to allow “a full resumption” of aid into Gaza immediately.
They also appealed to Israel to enable the UN and humanitarian organisations “to work independently and impartially to save lives.”
“Whilst we acknowledge indications of a limited restart of aid, Israel blocked humanitarian aid from entering Gaza for over two months. Food, medicines and essential supplies are exhausted. The population faces starvation. Gaza’s people must receive the aid they desperately need,” the statement Monday said.
Israel launched a new devastating ground offensive in Gaza over the weekend just as US President Donald Trump departed the region without sealing a ceasefire and hostage deal.
The Israeli military said its forces moved into northern and southern Gaza over the past day as part of the “Gideon’s Chariots” operation, which Israel warned would take place if Hamas doesn’t agree to a new hostage deal on its terms, the CNN report said.
Israellaunched the ground operation after days of heavy aerial bombardment on the Gaza Strip, which, health authorities there claim, have wiped out entire families.
Israel has said it will allow a “basic amount of food” into the besieged enclave, a move which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted was due to intense pressure from allies, and on Monday the Israeli agency that approves aid shipments into Gaza said five trucks had entered the enclave.
However, UN aid chief Tom Fletcher described the delivery as “limited” and a “drop in the ocean of what is urgently needed.”
