UK suspends trade talks with Israel over expansion of Gaza war; France, Canada threaten action

Britain on Tuesday said that it was suspending trade talks with Israel over its plan to escalate the war in Gaza and its blockade of humanitarian aid to Palestinians already at risk of famine. On Monday, Britain, France and Canada demanded that Israel stop this “wholly disproportionate” escalation.

Their appeal amounted to the sharpest condemnation yet from some of Israel’s most powerful supporters since the war began 19 months ago. The message made clear that Israel’s conduct of the war, the high death toll and the abysmal humanitarian conditions were pushing the allies to the limits of what they would tolerate.

Meanwhile, Israel rejected a European Union decision to review the bloc's cooperation deal in a bid to pressure Israel over its intensified offensive in Gaza, an AFP report said.

"We completely reject the direction taken in the statement, which reflects a total misunderstanding of the complex reality Israel is facing," Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein said in a message on X.

Britain, France, Canada reprimand Israel

“We have always supported Israel’s right to defend Israelis against terrorism,” a joint statement by the three countries said. “But this escalation is wholly disproportionate.”

The three countries have called the expanded Israeli campaign against Hamas in Gaza and the withholding of aid “egregious actions” that cannot continue. “We will not stand by while the Netanyahu government pursues these egregious actions. 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 statement said.

Humanitarian aid blockade in Gaza

Israel has been blocking humanitarian aid from Gaza for more than two months, even as the UN warns that the population is under threat of famine. The UN announced Monday that it had been cleared to send in aid for the first time since Israel imposed a total blockade on March 2, sparking severe shortages of food and medicine, according to the AFP report.

Israel said that 93 trucks had entered Gaza from Israel on Tuesday but the United Nations said the aid had been held up.

During a briefing, Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, emphasised the urgent need to distribute these supplies, calling the current influx "a drop in the ocean" given the massive humanitarian crisis in the region.

He highlighted that the deprivation in Gaza exacerbating the humanitarian crisis was driven by ongoing bombardments, blockade, and recurrent displacement, the report added.

"Turning to the situation in the Gaza Strip, the first trucks of vital baby food are now inside Gaza after 11 weeks of total blockade, and it is urgent that we get that assistance distributed. We need much, much more to cross," Dujarric stated.

Israel steps up offensive

The Israeli army stepped up its offensive at the weekend, vowing to defeat Gaza's Hamas rulers, whose October 7, 2023 attack on Israel triggered the current war.

Strikes overnight and early Tuesday left "44 dead, mostly children and women, as well as dozens of wounded," civil defense spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP.

Bassal said 15 people were killed when a petrol station was hit near the Nuseirat refugee camp, and eight others died in a strike on a school sheltering displaced Palestinians in Gaza City.

The Israeli military told AFP it had "struck a Hamas terrorist who was operating from within a command and control center" inside the school compound. There was no comment on the other incidents.

In a statement Tuesday, the Israeli military said it had carried out strikes on more than "100 terror targets" in Gaza over the past day.