Canada, UK, France Warn Israel: Halt Gaza Offensive or Face Sanctions

In a rare joint statement, the leaders of Canada, the United Kingdom, and France condemned Israel’s intensified military operations in Gaza and the West Bank, threatening “concrete actions,” including targeted sanctions, if the offensive and restrictions on humanitarian aid are not lifted. The statement described Israel’s recent move to allow a minimal amount of food into Gaza as “wholly inadequate” and called the humanitarian suffering “intolerable.” The leaders reaffirmed support for Israel’s right to self-defense but labeled the escalation “disproportionate.” They also criticized any expansion of West Bank settlements, calling them illegal and a threat to peace. The warning comes as Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu vowed to “take control of all of Gaza” and encouraged the “voluntary emigration” of Palestinians, a stance widely rejected by Palestinians and condemned by the statement.