Austria says 'Gaza must remain Palestinian,' urges ceasefire ahead of call with Netanyahu

By Necva Tastan Sevinc

ISTANBUL (AA) - Austria on Tuesday criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent statement declaring plans for a full occupation of the Gaza Strip.

"International law is clear. Gaza must remain Palestinian territory. Forced displacement is unacceptable," Austria’s Chancellery said in a statement.

The statement came ahead of a planned phone call between Chancellor Christian Stocker and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.

"International law is clear. Gaza must remain Palestinian territory. Forced displacement is unacceptable,” it stressed.

The statement also said Palestinian group Hamas should not play a role in Gaza’s future administration, underlining the importance of finding a realistic solution in line with international law, with the involvement of both the international community and the Palestinian Authority.

"It is essential to ultimately return to a ceasefire, as there have been far too many civilian casualties on both sides," the statement read, adding that the people of Gaza must have full access to international humanitarian aid.

Israel blocked aid for over two months, only recently allowing a trickle of aid in, a plan widely criticized.