France's foreign minister said on Tuesday that Paris "very strongly" condemns Israel's new military campaign in the Gaza Strip. His comments come a day after Israel's military said expanded operations in Gaza would include displacing "most" of its residents.
On Monday Israel's security cabinet approved the military's plan for expanded operations, which an Israeli official said would entail "the conquest of the Gaza Strip and the holding of the territories".
"It's unacceptable," French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said in an interview with RTL radio, adding the Israeli government was "in violation of humanitarian law."
Israeli military spokesman Effie Defrin said the planned offensive will include "moving most of the population of the Gaza Strip... to protect them".
The decision by the security cabinet, which includes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and several ministers, came after the army called up tens of thousands of reservists.
Israel's decision comes as the United Nations and aid organisations have repeatedly warned of the humanitarian catastrophe on the ground, with famine again looming after more than two months of a total Israeli blockade.
UN spokesman said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was "alarmed" by the Israeli plan that "will inevitably lead to countless more civilians killed and the further destruction of Gaza".
The European Union also voiced concern and urged restraint from Israel.
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Nearly all of the Gaza Strip's 2.4 million people have been displaced at least once during the war, sparked by Hamas militants' October 2023 attack on Israel.
Israel resumed major operations across Gaza on 18 March amid deadlock over how to proceed with a two-month ceasefire that had largely halted the war with Hamas.
Israeli officials have said that the renewed fighting was aimed at defeating Hamas and securing the return of hostages held by militants since the 2023 attack.
'Hunger war'
But a senior Hamas official said Tuesday the group was no longer interested in truce talks with Israel and urged the international community to halt Israel's "hunger war" against Gaza.
"There is no sense in engaging in talks or considering new ceasefire proposals as long as the hunger war and extermination war continue in the Gaza Strip," Basem Naim told French news agency AFP.
He said the world must pressure the Netanyahu government to end the "crimes of hunger, thirst, and killings" in Gaza.
Israeli officials said that the security cabinet had approved the "possibility of humanitarian distribution, if necessary" in Gaza, "to prevent Hamas from taking control of the supplies and to destroy its governance capabilities".
Israel has accused Hamas of diverting humanitarian aid – which Hamas denies – and said its blockade was necessary to pressure the militant group to release Israeli hostages.
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A grouping of UN agencies and aid groups in the Palestinian territory has said Israel sought to "shut down the existing aid distribution system... and have us agree to deliver supplies through Israeli hubs under conditions set by the Israeli military".
The plan "contravenes fundamental humanitarian principles and appears designed to reinforce control over life-sustaining items as a pressure tactic", the bodies said in a statement.
"Humanitarian aid should not be politicised. The level of need among civilians in Gaza right now is overwhelming, and aid needs to be let in immediately," International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) spokesman Christian Cardon told AFP in Geneva.
"Our deliveries into Gaza are conducted in full transparency with all relevant authorities. We recognise safety concerns but given the immense need for humanitarian assistance we urgently insist that the authorities speed up the process to deliver life-saving aid to the people in Gaza and help facilitate a safe environment for delivery."
Hamas said the proposed aid framework amounted to "political blackmail".
(with AFP)
