WASHINGTON, May 26 (MENA) - Israel has lost many of its closest allies due to its ongoing bombardment of the Gaza Strip and the freezing of much-needed humanitarian aid, Axios reported Monday.

The US website indicated that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has lost many of his remaining friends in the West, with the exception of the US, over the past two months after ending the ceasefire agreement last March and blocking all food, water, and medicine supplies from reaching Gaza.

The website noted that pressure escalated sharply earlier this month when Netanyahu launched an operation to reoccupy and destroy Gaza instead of accepting a hostage release agreement and ending the war.

US President Donald Trump and his top aides have told Netanyahu that he must end the war and allow aid in, although Trump has generally not stated this publicly, while many other leaders have.

French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a joint statement last Monday, "We will not stand idly by while the Netanyahu government continues these horrific acts. If Israel does not halt its renewed military offensive and lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid, we will take further concrete action in response."

On Thursday, the UK announced it was suspending trade negotiations with Israel and imposing new sanctions against Israeli settlers involved in violent attacks against Palestinians.

Axios noted that France is expected to host a conference with Saudi Arabia next month to push for a two-state solution, during which the official recognition of the State of Palestine is expected.

It is worth noting that Spain, Norway and Ireland already recognized Palestine last year and last week, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described Israel as a "genocidal state" and called for it to be barred from participating in the Eurovision Song Contest.

Seventeen of the 27 European Union (UN) member states supported a proposal submitted by the Netherlands, a key ally of Israel, last Tuesday to reconsider the EU-Israel trade and cooperation agreement. In a series of UN Security Council meetings held in March, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar warned Netanyahu that halting humanitarian aid would not weaken Hamas but would alienate Israel's allies. (MENA)

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