Tel Aviv:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged that Israel will achieve “total victory” in Gaza, as its three key allies– Canada, France and the United Kingdom– attacked his “egregious actions” and blockade on humanitarian aid in the Palestinian territory. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, in a joint statement, slammed Israel’s expansion of its war and called conditions in Gaza “intolerable”, as they threatened a “concrete” response if Israel’s campaign continues.
“We will not stand by while the Netanyahu government pursues these egregious actions. If Israel does not cease the renewed military offensive and lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid, we will take further concrete actions in response,” the three allied governments said in a statement on Monday.
The three countries did not specify what action could be taken against Israel, but added, “We are committed to recognising a Palestinian state as a contribution to achieving a two-state solution and are prepared to work with others to this end.”
The statement coincided with a joint demand by 22 countries — including Britain, France and Canada — for Israel to immediately “allow a full resumption of aid into Gaza”, noting that the territory’s population “faces starvation”.
It said that Israel’s “denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable and risks breaching international humanitarian law”. It also slammed “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”. The leaders said that “permanent forced displacement is a breach of international humanitarian law”.
Israel Hits Back
But Netanyahu hit back at Starmer, Macron and Carney, saying their joint statement was a “huge prize” for Hamas in the Gaza war. Israel has kept Gaza in a total aid blockade since March 2, but announced on Monday it would allow in a limited number of supply trucks.
“By asking Israel to end a defensive war for our survival before Hamas terrorists on our border are destroyed and by demanding a Palestinian state, the leaders in London, Ottawa and Paris are offering a huge prize for the genocidal attack on Israel on October 7 while inviting more such atrocities,” he said, referring to the Hamas attacks in 2023 that set off the war.
The Israeli Prime Minister said “all European leaders” should follow US President Donald Trump’s example in supporting Israel.
“The war can end tomorrow if the remaining hostages are released, Hamas lays down its arms, its murderous leaders are exiled, and Gaza is demilitarised. No nation can be expected to accept anything less, and Israel certainly won’t,” he declared.
“This is a war of civilisation over barbarism. Israel will continue to defend itself by just means until total victory is achieved.”
In a video posted on Telegram, Netanyahu said that “the fighting (in Gaza) is intense and we are making progress”.
“We will take control of all the territory of the strip,” he added.
Israel’s military has stepped up an offensive in Gaza as part of its prolonged response to Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack that resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
Gaza’s health ministry said on Monday that at least 3,340 people have been killed since Israel resumed strikes on March 18, taking the war’s overall toll to 53,486.
