Some of Israel’s oldest allies condemned its military offensive into Gaza City on Tuesday, warning that the operation would worsen the already dire humanitarian situation in the territory.
Britain’s foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper, denounced the decision and called the operation “utterly reckless and appalling.”
“It will only bring more bloodshed, kill more innocent civilians, and endanger the remaining hostages,” Cooper said in a post on social media in which she reiterated calls for a ceasefire, for the hostages in the Gaza Strip to be released,d and for aid to enter the territory without restrictions.
Germany also condemned the assault, with the country’s foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, saying Israel was on “the wrong path.”
“We reject this and have made this clear to the Israeli government,” he said during a news conference in Berlin.
The European Union warned that the bombardment would make the humanitarian crisis in Gaza worse. “Military intervention will lead to more destruction, more death, and more displacements,” Anouar El Anouni, a spokesperson for the European Commission, the European Union’s executive arm, said at a daily press briefing.
Sweden said that the latest offensive in Gaza made it more urgent for the European Union to take action to challenge Israel’s behavior. Sweden’s foreign minister, Maria Stenergard, reiterated a call for the bloc to impose sanctions on “extremist Israeli ministers” and to freeze some trade.
Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, said that on Wednesday, the European Commission will present “measures to pressure the Israeli government to change course over the war in Gaza.”
“Suspending trade concessions and imposing sanctions on extremist ministers and violent settlers would clearly signal that the EU demands an end to this war,” she posted on social media. She did not provide details of the measures being proposed.
The criticism follows months of growing anger at Israel’s conduct in the war. Israel’s plans for the Gaza City operation dimmed hopes for a ceasefire agreement with Hamas, and many European countries, as well as Canada and Australia, have said they would recognize a Palestinian state if Israel did not change tack.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
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