TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The U.K., France and Canada on Monday threatened “concrete actions” against Israel, including sanctions, for its activities in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, calling on Israel to stop “egregious” new military actions in Gaza and immediately allow in humanitarian aid.
The sharply worded statement came shortly after Israel and the United Nations said the first few trucks of aid had entered Gaza after nearly three months of an Israeli blockade, as Israel acknowledged pressure from allies.
The joint statement called Israel's decision to allow a “minimal” amount of aid into Gaza “wholly inadequate.” There was no immediate Israeli comment.
Five trucks carrying baby food and other desperately needed aid entered the territory of over 2 million Palestinians via the Kerem Shalom crossing, according to the Israeli defense body in charge of coordinating aid to Gaza, COGAT.
The U.N. called it a “welcome development” but said far more aid is needed. Food security experts last week warned of famine in Gaza. During the latest ceasefire that Israel ended in March, some 600 aid trucks entered Gaza each day.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his decision to resume limited aid to Gaza came after allies said they couldn't support Israel's renewed military offensive if there are “images of hunger” coming from the Palestinian territory.
The U.N. humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, said the first few trucks were a “drop in the ocean of what is urgently needed.” He said an additional four U.N. trucks were cleared to enter Gaza. Those trucks may enter Tuesday, according to COGAT.
Fletcher added that given the chaotic situation on the ground, the U.N. expects the aid could be looted or stolen, which has been a growing problem as the blockade continued and resources became increasingly scarce. He urged Israel to open multiple crossings in northern and southern Gaza to permit a regular flow of aid.
Israel over the weekend launched a new wave of air and ground operations across Gaza, and the army ordered the evacuation of its second-largest city, Khan Younis, where Israel carried out a massive operation earlier in the 19-month war that left much of the area in ruins.
Israel says its offensive is a bid to pressure Hamas to release the remaining hostages abducted in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that ignited the war. Hamas has said it will only release them in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal.
Netanyahu said Monday that Israel plans on “taking control of all of Gaza,” as well as establishing a new system to distribute aid that circumvents Hamas. He has said Israel also will encourage what he describes as the voluntary emigration of much of Gaza's population to other countries — something that Palestinians have rejected.
Threat of sanctions
Monday's statement by France, Canada and the U.K. marks one of their most significant criticisms of Israel’s handling of the war in Gaza and Israel’s actions in the occupied West Bank.
"We oppose any attempt to expand settlements in the West Bank," the three countries said, calling them illegal.
The countries said they have always supported Israel’s right to defend itself against terrorism but called the military escalation in Gaza disproportionate.
The countries earlier criticized a new U.S.-backed proposal for aid delivery in Gaza, saying it would not align with humanitarian law. They urged Israel to allow U.N. and other NGOs to reenter the strip.
Canada has already imposed a series of sanctions against Israel over the last two years regarding settler violence in the West Bank. It was unclear how much France can act unilaterally given that it is a member of the European Union.
Pressure from the US
The Trump administration has voiced full support for Israel's actions and blames Hamas for deaths in Gaza, though in recent days it has expressed growing concern over the hunger crisis.
President Donald Trump — who skipped Israel on his trip to the region last week — voiced concern about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, as did Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
In a video statement, Netanyahu said Israel's “greatest friends in the world” had told him, “We cannot accept images of hunger, mass hunger. We cannot stand that. We will not be able to support you."
The video statement appeared aimed at pacifying anger in Netanyahu's nationalist base at the decision to resume aid. Two far-right governing partners have pressed Netanyahu not to allow aid into Gaza.
Netanyahu says ‘minimal’ aid will be let in
Aid into Gaza would be “minimal,” Netanyahu said, and would act as a bridge toward the launch of a new aid system in Gaza. A U.S.-backed organization will distribute assistance in hubs that will be secured by the Israeli military.
Israel says the plan is meant to prevent Hamas from accessing aid, which Israel says it uses to bolster its rule in Gaza.
U.N. agencies and aid groups have rejected the plan, saying it won't reach enough people and would weaponize aid in contravention of humanitarian principles. They have refused to take part.
According to aid officials familiar with the plan, it will involve setting up distribution points mostly in southern Gaza, forcing many Palestinians to move south once again. The recent ceasefire saw hundreds of thousands return to homes in the north.
The war has displaced around 90% of its population, most of them multiple times.
The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251 others. The militants are still holding 58 captives, around a third believed to be alive, after most of the rest were returned in ceasefire agreements or other deals.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive, which has destroyed large swaths of Gaza, has killed more than 53,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count.
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Magdy reported from Cairo and Shurafa from Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip. Associated Press writers Farmoush Amiri in New York, Sam Mednick in Jerusalem, Sarah El Deeb in Beirut, and Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel contributed.
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Tia Goldenberg, Samy Magdy And Wafaa Shurafa, The Associated Press
