Israel’s security cabinet has approved a plan to seize control of Gaza City, triggering growing international condemnation, with world leaders warning of dire humanitarian consequences.
The plan to take over Gaza’s largest city was announced on Friday, a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel intended to take military control of the entire Gaza Strip.
Israel’s plan to expand its assault on Gaza is expected to worsen the humanitarian devastation in the besieged enclave, triggering a wave of mass displacement amid a hunger crisis.
Here is how the world is reacting to the Israeli plan:
UN rights chief
“The Israeli Government’s plan for a complete military takeover of the occupied Gaza Strip must be immediately halted,” the UN human rights chief Volker Turk said in a statement on Friday.
“It runs contrary to the ruling of the International Court of Justice that Israel must bring its occupation to an end as soon as possible, to the realisation of the agreed two-State solution and to the right of Palestinians to self-determination,” Turk added.
British prime minister
United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer called Israel’s decision to step up military operations in Gaza “wrong” and called for restraint.
“The Israeli government’s decision to further escalate its offensive in Gaza is wrong, and we urge it to reconsider immediately,” he said.
“This action will do nothing to bring an end to this conflict or to help secure the release of the hostages. It will only bring more bloodshed.”
Turkish foreign ministry
Turkiye said the decision to take control of Gaza City aimed to forcibly displace Palestinians and called for international leaders to prevent the plan from being carried out.
“We call on the international community to fulfil its responsibilities to prevent the implementation of this decision, which aims to forcibly displace Palestinians from their own land,” Turkiye’s foreign ministry said, according to Reuters.
China’s foreign ministry
China expressed “serious concerns” over Israel’s plan to take control of Gaza City and urged 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 told AFP in a message.
“The correct way to ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and to secure the release of hostages is an immediate ceasefire,” they added.
Australian foreign minister
Responding to Netanyahu’s remarks that Israel’s military would take control of the entire Gaza Strip, Canberra warned that the expansion would deepen the humanitarian disaster in Gaza.
“Permanent forced displacement is a violation of international law,” Foreign Minister Penny Wong said, as she renewed calls for an immediate ceasefire.
“With international partners, Australia maintains our call for a ceasefire, the return of hostages and aid to flow unimpeded,” she said.
Wong also reiterated Australia’s growing support for Palestinian statehood, stating it was a matter of “when, not if”.
Finland’s foreign minister
Finland’s Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen expressed deep concern over the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, warning of a looming famine.
“We hope for an immediate Gaza ceasefire and the immediate release of Israeli hostages,” Valtonen said, according to Reuters.
Israel’s opposition leader
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid condemned the decision to seize Gaza City.
“This is a disaster which will lead to many more disasters,” he posted on X, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of caving to pressure from far-right ministers. He said the move ignored military advice and the exhaustion of troops.
“Tonight’s cabinet decision, contradicting the stance of the IDF’s chief of the general staff, is a disaster for generations to come,” he wrote.
