Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has firmly dismissed warnings from the United Kingdom, France, and Canada against a full military occupation of Gaza, characterizing their stance as “offering a huge prize” for Hamas’s October 7 attack.
The three Western nations issued a joint statement on Monday expressing opposition to any complete military occupation of Gaza by Israeli forces. The warning came in response to Netanyahu’s Sunday announcement that the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) would occupy Gaza entirely until Hamas releases all hostages taken during the October 7, 2023 attack.
In a pointed response to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Netanyahu insisted that Israel would continue its military operations regardless of international pressure.
“By asking Israel to end a defensive war for our survival before Hamas terrorists on our border are destroyed and by demanding a Palestinian state, the leaders in London, Ottawa and Paris are offering a huge prize for the genocidal attack on Israel on October 7 while inviting more such atrocities,” Netanyahu stated.
The Israeli leader emphasized that the current conflict began with Hamas’s attack last October, which he said resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and the abduction of over 250 others “to the dungeons of Gaza.”
Netanyahu asserted that Israel “accepts President Trump’s vision” for resolving the conflict and urged European leaders to do the same. He outlined specific conditions for ending the war: the release of all remaining hostages, Hamas surrendering its weapons, the exile of Hamas leadership, and the complete demilitarization of Gaza.
“No nation can be expected to accept anything less and Israel certainly won’t,” Netanyahu declared, characterizing the conflict as “a war of civilization over barbarism.”
The Israeli Prime Minister concluded his statement with a pledge that Israel would “continue to defend itself by just means until total victory is achieved,” effectively signaling his government’s intention to proceed with military operations in Gaza despite international objections.
The exchange highlights growing tensions between Israel and Western allies over the prolonged conflict in Gaza and differing visions for its resolution.
