Israel defiant as allies threaten sanctions over ‘egregious’ Gaza op

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected pressure from the UK, France, and Canada, insisting Israel will fight until Hamas is defeated.

By Lauren Marcus, World Israel News

The leaders of the United Kingdom, France, and Canada issued a joint statement on Monday condemning the expanded IDF operation in Gaza as “disproportionate” and threatening “concrete actions” against Israel, should the Jewish State continue fighting against Hamas and not provide sufficient humanitarian aid to Gazan civilians.

The statement, which was endorsed by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Marcon, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, slammed the renewed military offensive and warned that the countries would work to sanction Israel if it does not end the war.

“We will not stand by while the Netanyahu Government pursues these egregious actions,” the three leaders said.

“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 leaders also referenced “intolerable levels of human suffering” in the Gaza Strip, though it failed to mention Hamas regularly seizing aid convoys, then selling food back to Gazan civilians at extortionate prices.

Notably, the statement came one day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu authorized the entry of humanitarian aid into the coastal enclave since March.

That decision was wildly unpopular within the coalition, with many of Netanyahu’s right-wing partners slamming him for the move.

Netanyahu pushed back against the British-French-Canadian statement on social media platform X, saying that Israel would continue fighting Hamas until it achieves a decisive victory over the Hamas terror group.

“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,” Netanyahu wrote.

“This is a war of civilization over barbarism. Israel will continue to defend itself by just means until total victory is achieved,” the premier added.