Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday that Israel’s stated plan to take control of Gaza City is “fallacious” and can harm international efforts to unravel the humanitarian crisis plaguing the Palestinian territory.
Carney once more called for a direct ceasefire within the Israel-Hamas conflict and highlighted Canada’s role in delivering humanitarian aid to ravenous Palestinians, but wouldn’t say if Israel’s latest actions will result in sanctions.
“We join others, many others, in viewing that that is fallacious, that this motion isn’t going to contribute to an improvement within the humanitarian situation on the bottom,” Carney told reporters when asked concerning the Gaza City plan. “It’s going to put the lives of the hostages at greater risk, fairly than lessening it.
“We reiterate our call for a direct ceasefire. We reiterate our call for Hamas to right away return all the hostages and their stays. We reiterate that Hamas has no role going forward and can proceed to work with our allies to contribute what we will to achieving those outcomes.”
Pressed on whether Canada plans to issue sanctions against Israel, Carney said he’s “not on the cusp of creating one other announcement at this point” but condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza.
“What we see is the erosion of the potential of a two-state solution due to facts on the bottom, actions on the bottom,” he said.
Carney later issued an announcement that reaffirmed Canada’s condemnation of Israel’s decision to “further escalate the conflict in Gaza” by expanding its military operations.
“This escalation will do nothing to finish the humanitarian horror in Gaza or the deepening suffering of each the Israeli hostages and Palestinian civilians. Nor will it advance long-term peace and security for the Israeli people,” the statement said.
Before Israel’s Security Cabinet approved the plan to take over Gaza City earlier on Friday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had outlined more sweeping plans Thursday in an interview with Fox News, saying Israel planned to take control of all of Gaza. Israel already controls around three-quarters of the territory.
Germany announced shortly after Israel’s decision Friday that it would not authorize any exports of military equipment that might be utilized in Gaza “until further notice.”
The move by Germany, which has previously stopped wanting tougher lines against Israel’s government taken by a few of its European Union allies, appeared more likely to further isolate Israel within the wake of the controversial military takeover plan that has been decried by the United Nations and supporters of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza.
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The United Nations has called the move to take control of Gaza City a dangerous escalation, as it could likely require a big ground invasion and displacing tens of hundreds of civilians.
Canada and other allies like France and Britain have stepped up their condemnation of Israel’s military actions in recent months, and have also stated they intend to acknowledge a Palestinian state in September on the United Nations.
The USA, against this, has refused to sentence Israel’s military strategy, although U.S. President Donald Trump last week contradicted Netanyahu’s denials that Palestinians are ravenous in Gaza.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance told reporters ahead of meeting U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy in London that he wasn’t sure what recognizing a Palestinian state would even mean, “given the shortage of a functional government there.”
Asked whether Trump had been given a heads up on Israel’s announced intent to take over Gaza City, Vance said he wouldn’t go into such conversations.
“If it was easy to bring peace to that region of the world, it could have been done already,” he said.
In an announcement Friday, Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasized that Israel “has the precise to defend itself against Hamas’ terror” and said that the discharge of Israeli hostages and purposeful negotiations toward a cease-fire within the 22-month conflict “are our top priority.”
He said Hamas must not have a task in the long run of Gaza.
“The even harsher military motion by the Israeli army within the Gaza Strip, approved by the Israeli Cabinet last night, makes it increasingly difficult for the German government to see how these goals will probably be achieved,” he added. “Under these circumstances, the German government won’t authorize any exports of military equipment that might be utilized in the Gaza Strip until further notice.”
The German government stays deeply concerned concerning the suffering of civilians in Gaza, he said, adding: “With the planned offensive, the Israeli government bears even greater responsibility than before for providing for his or her needs.”
He called on Israel to permit comprehensive access for aid deliveries — including for U.N. organizations and other NGOs — and said Israel “must proceed to comprehensively and sustainably address the humanitarian situation in Gaza.”
Germany also called on Israel’s government “to not take any further steps toward annexing the West Bank.”
It was not immediately clear which military equipment from Germany can be affected.
Germany, with its history with the Holocaust, has been among the many strongest Western backers of Israel — regardless of which government is in power. Merz’s government didn’t join announcements by President Emmanuel Macron of key German ally France and Britain’s Keir Starmer that they plan to formally recognize a Palestinian state.
—With files from the Associated Press
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