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Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar criticized the calls from the United Kingdom and France urging Israel to halt its nearly 20-month-long military operations in the Gaza Strip. Saar argued that instead of pressuring Israel, these countries should focus on applying pressure on Hamas.
In a statement posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account, Saar responded sharply to the calls from London and Paris, which have urged the Tel Aviv government to immediately stop its attacks on Gaza that began on October 7, 2023.
Saar claimed that Israel has approved the ceasefire proposal put forward by U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, but Hamas rejected the offer. He accused Hamas of refusing to disarm and release hostages, thereby bearing responsibility for the ongoing Israeli attacks and the humanitarian disaster in Gaza.
Earlier, Steve Witkoff declared that Hamas’s response to the U.S. ceasefire proposal was “completely unacceptable” and set back efforts to achieve peace.
Meanwhile, Hamas released a written statement saying their response aims to secure a lasting ceasefire, a full withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and uninterrupted humanitarian aid for Palestinians.
On May 19, the UK, France, and Canada issued a joint statement calling on Israel to immediately stop its military operations in Gaza. The statement warned, “If Israel does not halt new military operations and remove barriers to humanitarian aid, we will take more concrete steps.”
Since March 2, Israel’s blockade of Gaza has prevented even “a single grain of wheat” from entering the territory. The ongoing conflict and blockade have resulted in at least 54,000 deaths.
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