UK, France, Canada Threaten Sanctions as Gaza Death Toll Rises Amid Israeli Offensive

The United Kingdom, France, and Canada have expressed deep outrage over Israel’s escalating military campaign in Gaza, warning that they may impose “concrete actions,” including targeted sanctions, if Israel does not immediately halt its offensive and lift restrictions on humanitarian aid, as per Al Jazeera.

Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated:

“We’re horrified by the escalation from Israel … We repeat our demand for a ceasefire,” as reports emerged that at least 87 Palestinians had been killed in the past 24 hours.

The comments followed a joint statement issued Monday by Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, describing Israel’s military actions as “wholly disproportionate” and condemning its continued expansion of operations in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

The leaders called on Israel to stop illegal settlement activity and warned that their governments “will not hesitate to take further action, including targeted sanctions.” They also criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent decision to allow a limited number of aid trucks into Gaza, calling the move “inadequate” after nearly three months of full blockade. They emphasized that Israel risks breaching international humanitarian law and declared they would not “stand by” as the Israeli government engaged in what they described as “egregious actions.”

The statement also condemned inflammatory rhetoric from Israeli officials, singling out Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s remarks about the forced displacement of Palestinians. Such language and actions, the leaders said, raise serious legal concerns, as forced displacement would constitute a violation of international law.

Palestinian Ambassador to the UK, Husam Zumlot, welcomed the international criticism but urged more decisive action. He called for a comprehensive arms embargo on Israel and full support for international legal mechanisms.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot reinforced the criticism on Tuesday, stating that Israel’s partial lifting of the blockade was “totally insufficient.” He condemned the “indiscriminate violence and the blocking of humanitarian aid,” which he said had turned Gaza into “a death trap.”

Reporting from Amman, Jordan, Al Jazeera’s Hamdah Salhut noted skepticism over whether international pressure would deter Netanyahu, who has publicly vowed to pursue “absolute victory” and characterized the conflict as a “war of civilisation against barbarism.”

As diplomatic tensions mount, 23 countries, including the UK, France, and Canada, issued a joint statement demanding that Israel immediately allow humanitarian aid into Gaza. The statement warned of widespread starvation and criticized Israel’s “new model” for aid delivery, which involves using a US-backed humanitarian foundation under Israeli military protection. This approach, the statement said, politicizes humanitarian relief, endangers beneficiaries and aid workers, and undermines the independence of the United Nations and its partners.

Meanwhile, the humanitarian toll in Gaza continues to climb. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, 87 people were killed and 290 injured in the past 24 hours alone, bringing the total number of deaths since the start of the war to 53,573, with 121,688 others wounded.