International condemnation intensified on August 9, 2025, following Israel’s security cabinet approval of a plan to seize control of Gaza City—its largest urban center. The decision deepens a 22‑month conflict and exacerbates a profound humanitarian crisis in the enclave. Health authorities report that in the preceding 24 hours, 11 Palestinians seeking aid were shot dead, while another 11 adults succumbed to malnutrition-related causes.
As famine spreads and displacement worsens, mediators, including U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, are in talks with regional actors such as Qatar in Spain to propose a ceasefire and a comprehensive hostage‑release deal. Meanwhile, Israeli aid distribution remains perilous: reports indicate troops may have fired on aid-seekers, even as airdrops by Italy, Greece, and others reach desperate civilians, prompting pleas for safer, more sustained access pathways.
Reaction from world leaders and international organizations
The Israeli plan triggered swift and wide-ranging condemnation from global capitals and organizations:
United Nations Secretary‑General António Guterres condemned the plan as a “dangerous escalation” that could deepen the humanitarian catastrophe for millions and urged Israel to uphold its obligations under international law. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk demanded the operation be “immediately halted,” citing its conflict with an International Court of Justice order to end occupation, and warning it could provoke mass displacement and violence.
European Union Council President Antonio Costa said Israel’s decision “must have consequences for EU-Israel relations,” asserting that it violates both an EU agreement and international law. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated, “The Israeli government’s decision to further extend its military operation in Gaza must be reconsidered.”
United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer called Israel’s decision “wrong” and urged it to reconsider immediately, warning it would bring “more bloodshed” and do nothing to help secure the hostages’ release.
Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the government “will not authorize any exports of military equipment that could be used in the Gaza Strip until further notice,” expressing increasing difficulty in supporting Israel’s actions.
The new military push agreed by the Israeli security cabinet makes it increasingly unclear how these goals are to be achieved. The German Government will, until further notice, authorise no military equipment exports that can be used in the Gaza Strip. 2/5
— Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz (@bundeskanzler) August 8, 2025
France condemned the plan, stating it “would constitute further serious violations of international law” and “lead to a complete dead end” in achieving peace.
China expressed “serious concerns” and urged Israel to “immediately cease its dangerous actions,” affirming that “Gaza belongs to the Palestinian people and is an inseparable part of Palestinian territory.”
Turkiye’s Foreign Ministry said the plan aims to forcibly displace Palestinians and called on the international community to “fulfil its responsibilities to prevent” its implementation.
Saudi Arabia “categorically denounces” the Israeli authorities’ “crimes of starvation, brutal practices, and ethnic cleansing against the brotherly Palestinian people.”
Iran called the Israeli plan “another clear sign of the Zionist regime’s specific intention to ethnically cleanse Gaza and commit genocide against the Palestinians.”
Qatar said Israel’s decision marked a “dangerous escalation” that threatens efforts to reach a ceasefire and called for “immediate action” to prevent it.
Jordan condemned Israel’s plan “in the strongest terms,” accusing it of “grave violations of international law and international humanitarian law,” and undermining the two-state solution.
United Arab Emirates warned of “catastrophic consequences,” including “further loss of innocent life and a worsening of the humanitarian crisis,” calling the protection of Palestinian rights a “moral, humanitarian, and legal imperative.”
Indonesia said it “strongly condemns Israel’s unilateral decision to take over Gaza,” warning it “jeopardizes the prospects for peace in the Middle East and worsens the humanitarian crisis.”
Belgium announced it would summon the Israeli ambassador to express “total disapproval” of Israel’s decision and ongoing colonization, calling for a reversal of the plan.
Spain Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said, “We firmly condemn the decision of the Israeli government to escalate the military occupation of Gaza,” adding that it “will only cause more destruction and suffering.”
Sweden Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard said the plan “risks taking the development in the opposite direction” of a ceasefire and violates international law if it changes Gaza’s territorial status.
Finland Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen expressed concern over “the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza” and called for “an immediate Gaza ceasefire and the immediate release of Israeli hostages.”
Denmark Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said Israel’s decision to intensify its military operation is “wrong and should immediately be reversed.”
Netherlands Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp called the Israeli plan “a wrong move,” stating it “will not help to get the hostages home” and worsens the “catastrophic” humanitarian situation.
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney said the plan is “wrong” and will endanger the lives of the remaining captives held in Gaza.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif “strongly” condemned Israel’s plan, warning it would “derail any prospect for peace” and calling on the international community to “intervene urgently” to stop Israel’s “unwarranted aggression.”
Australia, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, and UK issued a joint statement saying Israel’s plan risks “violating international humanitarian law,” worsening the humanitarian situation, endangering hostages, and displacing civilians. They also noted that any annexation or settlement expansion “violates international law.”
UN Sec‑Gen calls Israel’s Gaza plan ‘Dangerous Escalation’
UN Secretary‑General António Guterres branded the Israeli operation a “dangerous escalation” likely to intensify destruction and displacement across Gaza. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, echoed the warning and cited violations of international legal decisions.
Originally scheduled for Saturday, the UN Security Council’s emergency meeting was postponed to Sunday in New York to allow further diplomatic coordination. Ambassador Riyad Mansour, permanent observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, had earlier said a number of countries would be requesting a meeting of the UN Security Council on Israel’s plans.
Guterres also said on social: “I’m gravely alarmed by the decision of the Israeli Government to take control of Gaza City’. This marks a dangerous escalation & risks deepening the already catastrophic consequences for millions of Palestinians. It could further endanger more lives, including of the remaining hostages. I reiterate my urgent appeal for a permanent ceasefire, unimpeded humanitarian access across Gaza & the immediate & unconditional release of all hostages.”
Palestinian Authority calls Israel’s plan “complete crime”
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s office called Israel’s plan “a complete crime” and “a continuation of genocide, systematic killing, starvation and siege,” warning of an “unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe.”
Meanwhile, residents of Gaza City remain defiant. Many refuse to evacuate, even as the Israeli military advances. Images and reports show civilians waiting at aid distribution points, while others rush toward airdropped supplies, often in dangerous conditions. A local witness described the scene: “This way is not for humans, it is for animals,” as barefoot children scrambled for food on the ground. The static of displacement persists, as families struggle to preserve dignity under immense pressure.
Israel’s 22-month war on Gaza has killed more than 61,300 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and wounded over 152,000, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Israel rejects international criticism of Gaza City takeover plan
Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz responded firmly to international criticism, asserting that nations condemning Israel and threatening sanctions “would not weaken our resolve.” He declared: “Our enemies will find us as one strong, united fist that will strike them with great force.” The defense plan’s stated objectives include disarming Hamas, securing-hostage return, demilitarizing Gaza, assuming security control, and establishing a civil administration separate from Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.
Official Israeli media report that the initial operation will focus on Gaza City, with relocation of its estimated one million residents further south and control over central refugee camps suspected to harbor hostages. A subsequent phase, weeks later, would launch further offensives alongside increased humanitarian support.
