The Prime Minister said the situation has ‘reached new depths and continues to worsen’, as he described the suffering and starvation unfolding in Gaza as ‘unspeakable’
Keir Starmer will tomorrow hold emergency talks over the “humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza.
The Prime Minister said the situation has “reached new depths and continues to worsen”, as he described the suffering and starvation unfolding as “unspeakable and indefensible”.
The UN’s Palestinian refugee agency has warned that one in five children are malnourished in Gaza. Horrifying imagery of starving children are continuing to emerge, with an alarming increase in deaths reported.
The PM said he will hold an emergency call with France and Germany about Gaza on Friday, as he called on Israel to allow aid that is desperately needed to enter the area.
In a statement, Mr Starmer said: “The suffering and starvation unfolding in Gaza is unspeakable and indefensible. While the situation has been grave for some time, it has reached new depths and continues to worsen. We are witnessing a humanitarian catastrophe.
“I will hold an emergency call with E3 partners tomorrow, where we will discuss what we can do urgently to stop the killing and get people the food they desperately need while pulling together all the steps necessary to build a lasting peace. We all agree on the pressing need for Israel to change course and allow the aid that is desperately needed to enter Gaza without delay.
“It is hard to see a hopeful future in such dark times. But I must reiterate my call for all sides to engage in good faith, and at pace, to bring about an immediate ceasefire and for Hamas to unconditionally release all hostages. We strongly support the efforts of the US, Qatar and Egypt to secure this.
“We are clear that statehood is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people. A ceasefire will put us on a path to the recognition of a Palestinian state and a two-state solution which guarantees peace and security for Palestinians and Israelis.”
More than 100 organisations including Doctors Without Borders and Save the Children this week put their names to an open letter which said they were watching their own colleagues, as well as the Palestinians they serve, “waste away”. BBC news and three other news agencies have also expressed desperate concern for their journalists in Gaza.
It comes as Mr Starmer faces increasing pressure to recognise Palestinian statehood. Sir Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, was the latest to pile pressure on the Prime Minister amid reports that a number of senior Cabinet ministers have also urged him to do so. Sir Sadiq said the UK “must do far more to pressure the Israeli government to stop this horrific senseless killing”.
Earlier this month nearly 60 Labour MPs demanded the UK immediately recognises Palestine as a state in a letter to Foreign Secretary David Lammy. The UK plans to formally recognise Palestine but has said it will do so “at the point of maximum impact”.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds earlier today said the Government is “deeply committed” to recognising a Palestinian state. He stressed that such a move would have to be meaningful and come as part of a “genuine move towards a two-state solution and a long-term peace settlement” with Israel.
Mr Lammy has hinted that Israel could face further sanctions from the UK if it does not agree to a ceasefire. Asked on Tuesday what more he planned to do if Israel did not agree to end the conflict, he told ITV’s Good Morning Britain : “Well, we’ve announced a raft of sanctions over the last few months.
“There will be more, clearly, and we keep all of those options under consideration if we do not see a change in behaviour and the suffering that we are seeing come to an end.”