Most recently, the United Kingdom has suspended talks toward a new free trade agreement with Israel. They referenced the current military assault in Gaza as a breach of the understanding that shapes their bilateral partnership. Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy declared the stop to deportation “historic.” He condemned it as “an insult to the values of the British public.”
Since the start of March, Israel has extended a full blockade. This move blocks desperately needed materials, including surgical assistance, food, and fuel, from entering Gaza. As a consequence, international experts have repeatedly warned that a famine is on the verge of sweeping the entire region. Lammy said, “It is unacceptable for us to sit idly as this situation worsens. He urged that Israel must immediately unblock Israel’s blockade of humanitarian assistance.
Last week, the crisis escalated exponentially. It was in this context that the Israeli military began Operation Humus, a campaign to assert complete military control over all of Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu characterized this effort as a “war of civilization over barbarism.” He pledged that Israel would “keep on defending itself by all means and at any cost,” and to “total victory.” Yet, Lammy argued that these types of military operations were not the right way to ensure the release of the other remaining hostages.
We need to hold Israel to account. Lammy rightly condemned what he called “extremism” in some elements of Israel’s government. He called for a ceasefire. He added that it is crucial for facilitating humanitarian access and addressing situations with hostages.
In early 2024, the UK finally made up for lost time by announcing sanctions against Israeli settlers. These organizations were named as having funded violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinian communities in the West Bank. These sanctions reflect Britain’s stance on human rights abuses in the region and its commitment to act against those responsible for such actions.
The ongoing war has brought immense destruction to Gaza, killing thousands of Palestinians, including civilians and children. Health authorities in Gaza estimate more than 53,000 people killed. This tragic loss comes in the wake of brutal air and ground attacks that continue. Further, this military campaign has forcibly displaced almost all of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, throwing millions into an intensified humanitarian catastrophe.
Keir Starmer, Leader of the Opposition, said he was horrified at the extent of the violence from Israel. He underlined that renewed action is imperative to allow for humanitarian relief and rehabilitation efforts for victims to continue.
“We repeat our demand for a ceasefire as the only way to free the hostages, we repeat our opposition to settlements in the West Bank, and we repeat our demand to massively scale up humanitarian assistance into Gaza,” – Keir Starmer
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