As Israel’s military continues to carry out its deadly campaign in the enclave, the United Kingdom, France, and Canada have threatened to take “concrete actions” against it. If this is not done, the United Kingdom, France, and Canada will immediately impose restrictions on aid.
“We vehemently oppose the expansion of Israeli military presence in Gaza. The leaders of the nations, Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron, and Mark Carney, issued a joint statement on Monday,  , which also condemned the West Bank’s expansion and warned of “targeted sanctions”.
After halting food, fuel, and medical aid in Gaza in early March, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that the three countries had offered a “huge prize” to the Palestinian group Hamas, which is currently holding dozens of Israeli prisoners. He has launched Operation Gideon’s Chariots.
After nearly three months of total blockade, the three leaders criticized Netanyahu’s decision to allow a few trucks into the besieged enclave as “inadequate,” warning that the Israeli government was at risk of breaking international humanitarian law. On Monday, Israel reportedly allowed only a small number of trucks in.
They vowed to stand by while Israel engaged in “egregious actions,” highlighting the “abhorrent language” used by Israeli government officials, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, to force Palestinians out of Gaza, and highlighting the illegality of forced displacement.
The “number one” thing the three countries could do, according to Husam Zumlot, the ambassador of Palestine to the UK, was enraging Israel. “Some measures have been taken by the UK to suspend some arms exports. It is insufficient. He said it needs to be thorough and comprehensive.
Zumlot added that states should take legal action to hold “war criminals accountable.” He urged the people to “absolutely support our efforts at the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice.”
The UN’s special rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, questioned the intended purpose of the sanctions. “Targeting whom,” you ask? You must impose sanctions on the state. The prime minister is not the subject. She stated to Al Jazeera on Monday that this is the government’s entire business.
Jean-Noel Barrot, the country’s foreign minister, claimed on Tuesday that Israel’s partial lifting of the blockade on Monday was “totally insufficient.”
He claimed that the besieged territory had become “a death trap” due to discriminatory violence and the Israeli government’s blocking of humanitarian aid.
Al Jazeera’s Hamdah Salhut, a journalist from Amman, questioned whether international pressure would be beneficial for Netanyahu, citing his earlier statements that he wanted to “press on until … absolute victory” and that his nation was engaged in a “war of civilization against barbarism.”
They claim that the growing military ground offensive is their only chance to advance, she said.
“Cruelty amid genocide”
The three leaders made a statement in response to a statement from 23 nations, including the UK, France, and Canada, in which they demanded that Israel provide aid to Gaza and that the population be “starvated.”
The statement, which was made public on Monday, attacked Israel’s “new model” for aid, which would see the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation providing supplies under Israeli military protection. It stated that humanitarian aid should never be politicized.
According to the statement, which calls on Israel to let the UN and aid organizations continue their life-saving work, it puts beneficiaries and aid workers in danger, undermines the United Nations’ role and independence, and links humanitarian aid to political and military goals.
The statement was made before Tuesday’s meeting of European Union foreign ministers in Brussels, where it is anticipated that the bloc’s trade agreement with Israel will be being reviewed, according to Step Vaessen of Al Jazeera, who is based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
After one and a half years of bombardment of Gaza, the situation has changed, she said, with the result of this food blockade being a public outcry.
The world’s response to “nearly 80 days of broadcast starvation and cruelty amidst genocide” to pressure Israel to lift its siege was “outrageous and morally reprehensible,” according to Amnesty International, a human rights organization.
More than 73 people have been killed by Israeli drones in the Khan Younis refugee camp, including at least three children, as the world’s attention was drawn to Israel.
Source: Aljazeera
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