Britain, France and Canada issued a rare and strongly worded rebuke to Israel late Monday, calling on the Jewish state to halt its renewed military offensive in Gaza and lift longstanding restrictions on humanitarian aid.
“We have always supported Israel’s right to defend Israelis against terrorism,” the three governments said in a joint statement. “But this escalation is wholly disproportionate.”
The statement referred both to the resumption of military operations against Hamas and to the months-long blockade on aid, which they called “egregious actions.” If Israel does not reverse course, the countries warned, “we will take further concrete actions in response.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu quickly rejected the criticism, accusing the three allies of handing “a huge prize” to Hamas. “This is a war of civilization over barbarism,” he wrote on social media. “Israel will continue to defend itself by just means until total victory is achieved.”
Netanyahu has signaled a possible full takeover of Gaza and the forced relocation of civilians into designated areas. Despite international pressure, Israel has kept border crossings closed to aid for over two months. Over the weekend, five trucks were allowed through, but the UN has not yet been able to collect the supplies due to lack of coordination on the Israeli side.
Diplomatic efforts to broker a ceasefire have also stalled. Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said Tuesday that talks in Doha have gone nowhere. “The divisions remain deep,” he said during the Qatar Economic Forum. “When Israeli-American soldier Edan Alexander was released, we thought that moment would open a door to end this tragedy, but the response was a more violent wave of strikes. This irresponsible, aggressive behavior undermines any potential chance for peace.”
The talks are based on what’s known as the Witkoff framework, a phased plan proposed by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff. It calls for a 40- to 50-day ceasefire and the release of 10 living hostages, followed by additional negotiations over the remaining captives and a broader deal to end the war.
Despite the lack of progress, the Israeli delegation remains in Doha, according to Netanyahu’s office, which said the team is working “to exhaust every opportunity” for an agreement. Israel reportedly considered pulling the delegation on Monday but chose to stay.
At home, Netanyahu’s coalition is tightening its stance on Qatar. On Sunday, a ministerial committee advanced a bill that would formally label Qatar a “terror-supporting state,” clearing the way for a preliminary vote in the Knesset.
It remains unclear what specific measures Britain, France and Canada are considering. But in the Netherlands and other EU capitals, officials have urged Brussels to review its association agreement with Israel, which governs trade and diplomatic ties.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said Tuesday that Paris supports the review. “The blind violence and the humanitarian blockade by the Israeli government have made Gaza into a deathtrap,” he said in a radio interview.
