Keir Starmer has said that Israel’s planned occupation of Gaza City, announced overnight, ‘will do nothing’ to end the war or secure the release of hostages held by Hamas
Keir Starmer has warned that Israel’s decision to escalate the war in Gaza “will only bring more bloodshed”.
Overnight the Israeli security council announced it would be occupying Gaza City – and Benjamin Netanyahu said he intends to take control of the entire territory. The PM warned this action “will do nothing” to end the war or secure the release of Hamas hostages.
In a statement Mr Starmer said: “The Israeli Government’s decision to further escalate its offensive in Gaza is wrong, and we urge it to reconsider immediately. 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.”
Calling for a ceasefire, the Prime Minister said Hamas can “play no part in the future of Gaza” as he called for the group – which was behind the horrifying October 7 attack – to disarm.
“Every day the humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsens and hostages taken by Hamas are being held in appalling and inhuman conditions,” he said. “What we need is a ceasefire, a surge in humanitarian aid, the release of all hostages by Hamas and a negotiated solution. Hamas can play no part in the future of Gaza and must leave as well as disarm.”
He continued: “Together with our allies, we are working on a long-term plan to secure peace in the region as part of a two-state solution, and ultimately achieve a brighter future for Palestinians and Israelis.
“But without both sides engaging in good faith in negotiations, that prospect is vanishing before our eyes. Our message is clear: a diplomatic solution is possible, but both parties must step away from the path of destruction.”
Israel’s security cabinet agreed five principles they claimed would end the war – disarming Hamas, returning hostages, the demilitarisation of Gaza, Israeli security control of Gaza and establishing a new civilian government that is not Hamas or the Palestinian Authority.
Asked ahead of the security cabinet meeting whether Israel intends to take over the whole of Gaza, Mr Netanyahu told Fox News: “We intend to, in order to assure our security, remove Hamas there, enable the population to be free of Gaza.
“We don’t want to keep it. We want to have a security perimeter,” he continued. “We want to hand it over to Arab forces that will govern it properly without threatening us and giving Gazans a good life.”
It comes after UK energy minister Miatta Fahnbulleh said the latest operation will escalate “an already intolerable situation”.
She was challenged over the UK’s continued sale of arms – including parts for F-35 warplanes – to Israel. Although the UK has suspended around 30 licenses, it has been criticised for allowing weapons to be sold amid growing evidence of war crimes.
Ms Fahnbulleh told Sky News: “We are working to do everything that we can. It is a very complicated system.
“There is a kind of market in which arms exports are sold into, and it goes to a huge range of different parties. But the government has done the job of making sure that that direct link is broken.
“And look, in the end, in the end, what matters here is that we stop the bloodshed. What matters is that we stop the fighting. And if you ask me where I think the government should be putting its efforts, I think the government should be putting itself into the really hard graft of trying to get people on the table and try to do de-escalate the situation.”