OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday Israeli's plan to take over Gaza City will worsen the humanitarian crisis in the enclave and threaten the lives of hostages still held by Hamas — but did not say whether Canada is considering sanctions on Israel.
"We are working on multiple fronts to try to bring a level of stability to the region, then security, then peace to the region," Carney said at a press conference on a military base in Trenton, Ont.
Israel's cabinet approved a plan Friday to take control of Gaza City. The country's foreign ministry said the plan is not to hold Palestinian territory long-term but rather to rout Hamas.
The United Nations has called the move a dangerous escalation and warns it likely would require a large ground invasion and the displacement of tens of thousands of civilians.
The UN Security Council is scheduled to hold an emergency meeting Saturday afternoon to discuss Israel's plans for a new ground operation.
The cabinet decision comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Israeli military would take complete control of the Palestinian territory.
Carney said taking over Gaza City is "wrong" and cited Canada's calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and new governance without Hamas.
"This action is not going to contribute to an improvement in the humanitarian situation on the ground. It is going to put the lives of the hostages at greater risk rather than lessening it," he said.
The prime minister said the plan to take Gaza City amounts to an "erosion of the possibility of a two-state solution."
Carney added that Canada will continue to work closely with allies, including France and the U.K., to stabilize the situation in Gaza.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged Israel to reconsider, saying the expanded offensive would do nothing to end the conflict or secure the release of the remaining hostages.
“Our message is clear: a diplomatic solution is possible, but both parties must step away from the path of destruction,” Starmer said.
France condemned the plan “in the strongest possible terms.” In a statement from its foreign affairs ministry, France said it “reiterates its firm opposition to any plan for the occupation of the Gaza Strip and the forced displacement of its population.”
The ministry said “such actions would constitute further serious violations of international law and would lead to an absolute dead end.”
France, which has been pushing for the two-state solution, said Israel’s plan would undermine the “legitimate aspirations of the Palestinians to live in peace in a viable, sovereign and contiguous State, and pose a threat to regional stability.”
Germany said Friday it would not authorize exports of military equipment that could be used in Gaza, a policy similar to one Canada has had in place since last year.
— With files from The Associated Press.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 8, 2025.
Dylan Robertson and David Baxter, The Canadian Press
