SYDNEY/GENEVA: UN human rights chief Volker Turk on Friday said that “the Israeli Government’s plan for a complete military takeover of the occupied Gaza Strip must be immediately halted.”
“It runs contrary to the ruling of the International Court of Justice that Israel must bring its occupation to an end as soon as possible, to the realization of the agreed two-State solution and to the right of Palestinians to self-determination,” he said in a statement.
Jordan on Friday also condemned, “in the strongest terms”, Israel’s plans “to entrench its occupation of the Gaza Strip and expand full military control over.”
Ambassador Sufian Al-Qudah, in a statement “affirmed the Kingdom’s rejection and strong condemnation of this plan, which represents an extension of the extremist Israeli government’s policy that uses starvation and siege as weapons against the Palestinian people.”
دانت وزارة الخارجية وشؤون المغتربين بأشدّ العبارات، الخطة التي أقرّها المجلس الوزاري الإسرائيلي المصغّر (الكابينت)، التي تستهدف ترسيخ احتلالها لقطاع غزة وتوسيع السيطرة العسكرية عليه بالكامل، باعتبارها استمرارًا للخروقات الإسرائيلية الجسيمة للقانون الدولي، والقانون الدولي… pic.twitter.com/vuZD3dXTVi
— وزارة الخارجية وشؤون المغتربين الأردنية (@ForeignMinistry) August 8, 2025
“Full military control over the Gaza Strip undermines international efforts aimed at reaching a ceasefire agreement and ending the humanitarian suffering in the sector, stressing the necessity for Israel … to immediately halt its aggression on Gaza” a portion of the statement said.
King Abdullah II has assured Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of Jordan’s continued support and solidarity, and as he reiterated Amman’s rejection and condemnation of Israel’s plan to consolidate the occupation of Gaza and expand military control over it.
The King also affirmed the Kingdom’s commitment to supporting them in obtaining their just and legitimate rights and establishing their independent state, on the basis of the two-state solution, state news agency Petra reported, during a call between the two leaders.
The Turkish foreign ministry also strongly condemned Israel’s decision to take control of Gaza City, saying every step taken by the “fundamentalist Netanyahu government” to continue its genocide and expand its occupation dealt a heavy blow to global peace and security.
Australia earlier urged Israel “not to go down this path,” after Prime Minister Netanyahu said Israel intended to take military control of Gaza.
“Australia calls on Israel to not go down this path, which will only worsen the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza,” Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement on Friday.
Wong said permanent forced displacement was a violation of international law and repeated calls for a ceasefire, aid to flow unimpeded and for militant group Hamas to return the hostages taken in October 2023.
“A two-state solution is the only pathway to secure an enduring peace – a Palestinian state and the State of Israel, living side-by-side in peace and security within internationally-recognized borders,” she added.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday also said Israel’s decision to take control of Gaza City was wrong and urged the government in Jerusalem to reconsider.
“The Israeli Government’s decision to further escalate its offensive in Gaza is wrong, and we urge it to reconsider immediately,” he said in a statement.
“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.”
Australia has not yet joined Western allies such as the UK, Canada and France in announcing it would recognize Palestinian statehood but has said it would make a decision “at an appropriate time,” while escalating its criticism of Israel’s actions.
Wong’s comments come in response to Netanyahu saying Israel intended to take military control of all of Gaza during an interview with Fox News.
He said Israel wanted to hand over the territory to Arab forces that would govern it, without elaborating on the governance arrangements or which Arab countries could be involved.
After a security cabinet meeting on Friday, Netanyahu’s office confirmed a plan to take over Gaza City had been approved.
A statement said the Israeli Defense Forces would prepare to take control of Gaza City while providing humanitarian aid to the civilian population outside the combat zones.
Israel’s decision to intensify its military operation in Gaza is wrong and should immediately be reversed, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen told Denmark’s TV2 on Friday.
Israel’s political-security cabinet approved a plan early on Friday to take control of Gaza City, a move expanding military operations despite intensifying criticism at home and abroad.
China also expressed “serious concerns” over Israel’s plan to take control of Gaza City, urging it to “immediately cease its dangerous actions”.
“Gaza belongs to the Palestinian people and is an inseparable part of Palestinian territory,” a foreign ministry spokesperson said in a message.
“The correct way to ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and to secure the release of hostages is an immediate ceasefire,” they added.
“A complete resolution to the Gaza conflict hinges on a ceasefire; only then can a path to de-escalation be paved and regional security ensured,” the spokesperson said.
