International criticism of Israel’s plan – who’s said what?published at 14:02 British Summer Time
14:02 BST
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European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said that a “ceasefire is needed now”
Israel’s plan to expand its military operations into Gaza City has sparked international criticism, including from Israel’s allies.
Here’s a brief look back at what we’ve heard:
United Nations’ human rights chief Volker Türk warned the Israeli plans would cause “more massive forced displacement, more killing, more unbearable suffering” in Gaza.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the decision “must be reconsidered”, while president of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas described the move as a “fully-fledged crime”.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he would suspend the export of arms to Israel that could be used in the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the decision “wrong”, adding it would “only bring more bloodshed”.
In Israel, hostages’ families said the plan is “endangering the hostages” in Gaza, while thousands have protested the decision to expand the war.
Arab nations including Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia also condemned the proposals, describing the “persistence” as “ethnic cleansing”.
China‘s foreign ministry said “Gaza belongs to the Palestinian people and is an inseparable part of Palestinian territory”, and called for an immediate ceasefire.
During a trip to the UK, US Vice-President JD Vance said the Trump administration wanted to see Hamas eradicated so Israeli civilians were not attacked again, but also to solve the “humanitarian crisis” in Gaza.