WEB DESK: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that Israel will gain full control over the Gaza Strip, while the United Kingdom, France, and Canada have condemned these actions as violations of human rights and have issued a joint warning of possible collective action.
According to the French news agency AFP, a group of 22 countries, including the UK, France, Canada, Japan, and Australia, issued a joint statement calling for the immediate provision of aid to the people of Gaza.
Following international criticism of Israeli measures, five trucks carrying food and supplies for children arrived in Gaza on Monday. The United Nations relief agency’s head, Tom Fletcher, said that although some trucks had been allowed entry, the aid was insufficient compared to the needs.
After more than two months, Israel permitted limited humanitarian aid to enter Gaza for the first time on Monday. Since the blockade was imposed on March 2, the World Health Organization (WHO) had warned that 2 million people in Gaza faced famine.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, who was unable to confirm the number of trucks inside Gaza, stated that “none of the aid cargo has been taken from the designated location” because “it was already dark” and “security concerns prevent us from working in these conditions.”
Meanwhile, leaders of the UK, France, and Canada strongly criticized Israel’s operations in Gaza, warning that if military strategies are not improved, joint actions may be taken.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stated that “as long as the Netanyahu government continues these serious actions, we will not cooperate. If Israel does not stop its new military offensive and lifts restrictions on humanitarian aid, we will take more concrete steps in response.”
Netanyahu rejected these statements, calling them a “big reward” for Hamas. He said that a ceasefire is only possible if there is an agreement on the release of prisoners, exile of Hamas leaders, and disarmament in Gaza.
Gaza Situation
In the city of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, the Israeli military has issued orders for Palestinians to leave the area. According to Gaza’s Civil Defense, at least 91 people have been killed in Israeli attacks on Monday.
The United Nations Human Rights Office has condemned the Israeli operations, describing them as a violation of international laws and equating them with a “genocide” plan. The Secretary-General of the World Health Organization,Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that, the risk of famine in Gaza is increasing as humanitarian supplies are being held up at the border.
