Leaders of the United Kingdom, France, and Canada issued a stern rebuke of Israel's intensified military operations in Gaza, calling the humanitarian crisis "intolerable" and urging an immediate halt to the offensive, according to a joint statement published on the UK government's website. The statement, released on Monday, May 19, 2025, also demanded that Israel allow unrestricted humanitarian aid into Gaza and condemned inflammatory rhetoric from Israeli officials suggesting forced displacement of civilians.
The leaders criticized Israel's recent announcement to permit only a minimal amount of food into Gaza as "wholly inadequate." They called for cooperation with the United Nations to restore aid delivery in accordance with humanitarian principles. Additionally, they pressed Hamas to release all hostages held since the October 7, 2023, attack, which they described as "heinous." The statement emphasized that Israel's restrictions on essential aid risk violating International Humanitarian Law, a point underscored in the UK government's release.
While acknowledging Israel's right to defend itself against terrorism following the October 7 attack, the leaders labeled the current escalation "wholly disproportionate." They warned that continued military action and aid restrictions could prompt "further concrete actions" from their governments, though specifics were not outlined in the statement.
The leaders also expressed strong opposition to Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank, calling such actions illegal and detrimental to a future Palestinian state. "We will not hesitate to take further action, including targeted sanctions," they noted regarding this activity. The statement reaffirmed support for US, Qatar, and Egypt-led efforts to secure an immediate ceasefire, release hostages, and end Hamas' control of Gaza. The leaders endorsed a two-state solution as the path to lasting peace, citing the June 18, 2024, conference in New York, co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France, as a key step toward this goal.
The statement concluded with a commitment to work with the Palestinian Authority, regional partners, Israel, and the United States to develop a consensus on Gaza's future, building on an Arab-led plan. The leaders highlighted the upcoming High-level Two-State Solution Conference at the United Nations in June 2025 as a critical opportunity to advance international support for a Palestinian state, which they view as essential for regional stability.
