British coffee and sandwich chain Pret A Manger canceled a franchise agreement with Israeli partners to open its first branch in the country due to the ongoing war with the Hamas terror group.

The coffee chain was set to open at least 40 cafes in Israel over the next decade. The decision comes as large crowds of pro-Palestinian demonstrators have been marching in London on weekends to protest against Israel since the Hamas-led October 7 onslaught on southern Israel that sparked the ongoing war in Gaza.

In a statement to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, Israeli fashion store chain Fox-Wizel Ltd. said that on May 30 the London-based chain canceled the license agreement signed between the parties due to a force majeure event resulting from the war.