Keir Starmer demands medicines, food, fuel and water must go to Gaza immediately
Keir Starmer today demanded "medicines, food, fuel and water must get into Gaza immediately".
At Prime Minister's Questions, the Labour leader warned of a "humanitarian catastrophe" unfolding in Gaza as he emphasised the need to support Palestinian people. He and the PM both reiterated their support for Israel to defend itself against Hamas, after gunmen tore through Israeli communities earlier this month, but they urged the state to act within international law in their response.
Addressing the PM, Mr Starmer said: “International law must always be followed. Hamas are not the Palestinian people and the Palestinian people are not Hamas. Does he agree that medicines, food, fuel and water must get into Gaza immediately? This is an urgent situation and innocent Palestinians need to know that the world is not just simply watching, but acting to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe.”
Mr Sunak agreed that we must respond to the "unfolding" humanitarian crisis in Gaza. "It is right that we support the Palestinian people because they are victims of Hamas too and that is why we have provided a further £10million in humanitarian aid for people in the region," he said.
Rishi Sunak said intelligence services are 'rapidly analysing' reports that hundreds of people were killed at a hospital in Gaza (PA)The PM said the UK is working with local partners and deploying Navy assets to the region "as well as exploring how we can support logistical requirements". "I've also raised this issue of humanitarian access in all of my conversations as a priority with every leader in the region and we will continue working with them to get to wherever needed as quickly as possible," he added.
Teachers, civil servants and train drivers walk out in biggest strike in decade
The PMQs exchange comes after an interview Mr Starmer did with LBC last week, where he suggested “Israel has the right” to withhold power and water from Palestinian civilians, while stressing "everything should be done within international law". The Labour leader has been facing growing unrest from councillors in his party over his stance on the crisis, with some having resigned from their posts. They have demanded he condemn Israel for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Mr Starmer wrote to councillors this morning to stress his view that there must be "humanitarian corridors and humanitarian access, including food, water, electricity and medicines" in Gaza. He assured councillors, "you have my word" that Labour will continue to call for humanitarian aid and for "all parties to act with international law, and protect civilian life".
Meanwhile Labour MP Richard Burgon called on MPs to protect civilians in Gaza and Israel. He tabled an Early Day Motion, which has been signed by 42 MPs, and demands it be agreed that Hamas's "horrific acts do not justify responding with the collective punishment of the Palestinian people".
It follows reports that hundreds of people were killed in an explosion at a Gaza Strip hospital yesterday. The Hamas militant has group blamed the blast on an Israeli airstrike, while the Israeli military blamed a rocket misfired by other Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Mr Sunak said "our intelligence services have been rapidly analysing the evidence to independently establish the facts".
Air strikes, Israel's blockade and a mass evacuation has thrown Gaza's 2.3million population into upheaval. Over a million have fled their homes, and 60% are now in the eight-mile area south of the evacuation zone, the UN said. President Joe Biden landed in Israel this morning on an urgent mission to keep the Israel-Hamas war from spiralling into a broader conflict in the Middle-East and to encourage the delivery of humanitarian aid to Palestinians.
More than 900 people have been flown back from Israel to the UK. It is understood that all UK nationals registered with the Foreign Office and wanting to leave have been allocated seats. British officials are working to secure the opening of the Rafah crossing to allow UK citizens to flee to Egypt and for humanitarian aid to get into Gaza.
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
