Netanyahu’s plan to seize Gaza City sparks global condemnation
Hamas labels Israel’s design a ‘New War Crime’
Monitoring Desk
GAZA: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to seize Gaza City has triggered a wave of global condemnation, with political leaders and rights groups warning of grave humanitarian consequences. The Palestinian resistance group Hamas has denounced the move as a “new war crime,” accusing Israel of escalating its aggression and violating international law.
The German government will not approve any exports of military equipment that could be used in the Gaza Strip until further notice, chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Friday in response to Israel’s plan to expand its military operations there.
Israel’s decision to take over Gaza City “must have consequences for EU-Israel relations”, EU Council president Antonio Costa said on Friday, adding that this will be assessed by the Council and that he urged the Israeli government to reconsider.
Despite the announcement of the Israeli plan, mediators from Egypt and Qatar are working on a new framework which will include the release of all hostages — dead and alive — in one go in return for an end of the war in Gaza and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the strip, two Arab officials told the media.
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid blasted the security cabinet’s Gaza City decision as “a disaster that will lead to many more disasters” and said far-right ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich had dragged Benjamin Netanyahu into something that was “exactly what Hamas wanted
Norway’s $2 trillion sovereign wealth fund will announce changes to the handling of its Israeli investments, finance minister Jens Stoltenberg said on Friday, ruling out any blanket withdrawal over the war in Gaza. The fund itself said it would provide an update on its Israeli investments on Tuesday.
David Lammy said he would be discussing the “developing situation in Gaza” and the ongoing war in Ukraine with JD Vance. Sitting alongside the US vice-president at the start of a bilateral meeting at Chevening House, the UK foreign secretary said: “Of course we will be discussing the developing situation in Gaza, which is a great concern, and of course the ongoing war in Ukraine, and the desire to see that come to an end.”
Saudi Arabia condemns any Israeli move to take control of Gaza, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday. The kingdom “categorically denounces Israeli occupation authorities’ persistence in committing crimes of starvation, brutal practices, and ethnic cleansing against the brotherly Palestinian people,” it said in a statement.
China expressed “serious concerns” on Friday over Israel’s plan to take control of Gaza City, urging it to “immediately cease its dangerous actions”. “Gaza belongs to the Palestinian people and is an inseparable part of Palestinian territory,” a foreign ministry spokesperson said in a message.
Turkey has urged the international community to prevent Israel’s plan to take control of Gaza City, saying it was a “heavy blow” to peace and security.
More than a hundred UK-based Israelis and allies led by the grassroots activist group Mi-neged staged a protest outside the Foreign Office on Thursday evening, calling for the UK to impose immediate sanctions on Israel and end the war in Gaza.
