Israel’s plan to take control of Gaza City as part of its ongoing military offensive has prompted sharp criticism and calls for restraint from governments and international bodies around the world. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News that Israel “intends to” seize the entire Gaza Strip to ensure security and remove Hamas. He said the goal was to “pass it to civilian governance that is not Hamas and not anyone advocating the destruction of Israel.” “We don’t want to keep it. We want to have a security perimeter. We don’t want to govern it,” Netanyahu said. Hamas accused the Israeli leader of trying to derail ceasefire talks, saying he was seeking a military solution “with the aim of getting rid of the hostages and sacrificing them for personal and political interests”. United Nations UN human rights chief Volker Türk said the war “must end now” and warned that further escalation “will result in more massive forced displacement, more killing, more unbearable suffering, senseless destruction and atrocity crimes”. Europe European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen posted on X that Israel’s decision “must be reconsidered” and that a ceasefire was needed immediately. She also called for the release of hostages held “in inhumane conditions” and for aid to reach Gaza without restrictions. The Israeli government’s decision to further extend its military operation in Gaza must be reconsidered. At the same time, there must be the release of all hostages, who are being held in inhumane conditions. And humanitarian aid must be given immediate and unhindered access to… — Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) August 8, 2025 German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that Berlin would stop approving exports of military equipment that could be used in Gaza. He said Israel’s decision “makes it increasingly difficult” to see how its stated goals disarming Hamas and freeing hostages could be achieved. Denmark’s foreign ministry urged Israel to reverse the decision, while the Netherlands’ Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp called it “a wrong move” that would “not help to get the hostages home” (BBC). Middle East Saudi Arabia condemned any Israeli attempt to take control of Gaza, saying it “categorically denounces” what it described as crimes against Palestinians, including “starvation” and “brutal practices”, as reported by Reuters. Turkey’s foreign ministry called on the international community to stop the plan, saying it aimed to “forcibly displace Palestinians from their own land”. Asia-Pacific China’s foreign ministry reiterated that “Gaza belongs to the Palestinian people” and called for an immediate ceasefire. Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong urged Israel “not to go down this path”, saying it would “only worsen the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza” and that permanent forced displacement would violate international law. United Kingdom (UK) UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called the escalation “wrong” and urged Israel to reconsider. He said: “This action will do nothing to bring an end to this conflict or to help secure the release of the hostages. It will only bring more bloodshed”. The Israeli Government’s decision to further escalate its offensive in Gaza is wrong, and we urge it to reconsider immediately. Every day the humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsens and hostages taken by Hamas are being held in appalling and inhuman conditions. We need a ceasefire… pic.twitter.com/UoJhjss81e — Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) August 8, 2025 Finland Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said she hoped for an immediate ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages.
