The Israeli Foreign Ministry rejected a statement signed by Britain and more than 20 other countries, calling for an immediate end to the war in Gaza and criticizing the Israeli government's aid delivery model after hundreds of Palestinians were killed near sites distributing food.
The ministry said the statement "is disconnected from reality and sends the wrong message to Hamas.
"All statements and all claims should be directed at the only party responsible for the lack of a deal for the release of hostages and a ceasefire: Hamas, which started this war and is prolonging it."
France, Italy, Japan, Australia, Canada, Denmark, and other countries said more than 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid and condemned what it called the "drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians".
The majority of those killed were in the vicinity of Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) sites, which the United States and Israel backed to take over aid distribution in Gaza from a network led by the United Nations.
"The Israeli government’s aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity," the countries' foreign ministers said in a joint statement.
The call for an end to the war and the way Israel delivers aid comes from several countries that are allied with Israel and its most important backer, the United States.
"The statement fails to focus the pressure on Hamas and fails to recognize Hamas’s role and responsibility for the situation. Hamas is the sole party responsible for the continuation of the war and the suffering on both sides," the ministry's statement continued, concluding that while hostage, ceasefire negotiations are ongoing, it is best to avoid these kinds of statements.
The Foreign Ministry also slammed Hamas in its statement, saying that "instead of agreeing to a ceasefire, Hamas is busy running a campaign to spread lies about Israel. At the same time, Hamas is deliberately acting to increase friction and harm to civilians who come to receive humanitarian aid."
The ministry claimed that while a concrete plan for a ceasefire deal exists, Hamas has continued to refuse the deal, while Israel has repeatedly said yes to the proposal.
The GHF uses private US security and logistics companies to get supplies into Gaza, largely bypassing a UN-led system that Israel alleges has let Hamas-led militants loot aid shipments intended for civilians. Hamas denies the accusation.
The UN has called the GHF’s model unsafe and a breach of humanitarian impartiality standards, which GHF denies.
Belgian king denounces Gaza 'humanitarian abuses' in unusually direct remarks
Belgium's King Philippe described abuses in Gaza as a "disgrace to humanity" in a speech on the eve of Monday's national day, unusually direct remarks on international affairs from a monarch who traditionally avoids public politics.
"I add my voice to all those who denounce the serious humanitarian abuses in Gaza, where innocent people are dying of hunger and being killed by bombs while trapped in their enclaves," he said, speaking at his palace in Brussels.
"The current situation has gone on for far too long. It is a disgrace to all of humanity. We support the call by the United Nations Secretary-General to immediately end this unbearable crisis."
It was the first time Philippe has spoken out so strongly and unambiguously about a conflict in public. Belgium's federal government has been more reserved in its criticism of the conflict in Gaza.
The king's role in Belgium is limited to giving advice, support, and warnings to the government without making any political decisions.
Israel denies that the IDF commits abuses in Gaza and says restrictions on supplies are needed to prevent aid from being diverted by terrorists.
Two IDF soldiers arrested in Belgium, investigated for war crimes accusations
This comes after two IDF soldiers were arrested and interrogated by Belgian authorities following a complaint filed by the Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF), an anti-Israel legal organization focused on pursuing legal action against IDF soldiers, the Foreign Ministry confirmed Monday, following HRF's statement.
The soldiers, who were participating in the Tomorrowland music festival, were alleged to have participated in war crimes, according to HRF.
Yoav Etiel and Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this article