Spain and seven other European nations on Sunday condemned Israel鈥檚 plan to occupy Gaza City, warning it would kill large numbers of civilians and force nearly a million Palestinians from their homes.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu鈥檚 security cabinet on Friday greenlighted plans for a major operation to seize Gaza City, triggering a wave of domestic and international criticism.
In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of the eight nations said the decision 鈥榳ill only aggravate the humanitarian crisis and further endanger the lives of the remaining hostages鈥�.
They estimated the operation could lead to an 鈥榰nacceptably high number of fatalities and the forced displacement of nearly one million Palestinian civilians鈥�, according to a copy of the statement released by Spain鈥檚 foreign ministry.
They also warned that the planned offensive and occupation of Gaza City would be 鈥榓 major obstacle to implementing the two-state solution, the only path towards a comprehensive, just and lasting peace鈥�.
Besides Spain, the statement was signed by the foreign ministers of Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Portugal and Slovenia.
Foreign powers, including some of Israel鈥檚 allies, have been pushing for a negotiated ceasefire to secure the hostages鈥� return and help alleviate a humanitarian crisis in the strip. Despite the backlash and rumours of dissent from Israeli military top brass, Netanyahu has remained defiant over the decision to seize Gaza City.
Meanwhile, Gaza鈥檚 civil defence agency said at least 37 people were killed by Israeli fire on Saturday, including 30 civilians who were waiting to collect aid.
Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal said that 12 people were killed and nearly 200 wounded when Israeli forces opened fire on them as they gathered near a border crossing in northern Gaza that has been used for aid deliveries.
Six more people were killed and 30 wounded after Israeli troops targeted civilians assembling near an aid point in central Gaza, he said.
Strikes in central Gaza also resulted in multiple casualties, according to Bassal, while a drone attack near the southern city of Khan Yunis killed at least three people and wounded several others.
Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties accessing swathes of the territory mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by the civil defence and the Israeli military.
Thousands of Palestinians congregate daily near food distribution points in Gaza, including four managed by the US and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
Since launching in late May, its operations have been marred by almost-daily reports of Israeli forces firing on those waiting to collect aid.
Israeli restrictions on the entry of supplies into Gaza since the start of the war nearly two years ago have led to shortages of food and essential supplies, including medicine and fuel, which hospitals require to power their generators.
Netanyahu faces mounting pressure to agree to a ceasefire to bring the territory鈥檚 more than two million people back from the brink of famine and free the hostages held by Palestinian militants.
But early Friday, the Israeli security cabinet approved plans for a major operation to seize Gaza City, triggering a wave of outrage across the globe.
Despite the backlash and rumours of dissent from Israeli military top brass, Netanyahu has remained defiant over the decision.
In a post on social media late Friday, he said 鈥榳e are not going to occupy Gaza 鈥� we are going to free Gaza from Hamas鈥�.
The Palestinian militant group, whose October 7, 2023 attack triggered the war, has slammed the plan to expand the fighting as a 鈥榥ew war crime鈥�.
Israel鈥檚 offensive has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, according to Hamas-run Gaza鈥檚 health ministry, figures the United Nations says are reliable.
Hamas鈥檚 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
