
British Israelis urge Government to act on Gaza starvation
Starmer and Lammy were urged to end the UK's trade and partnership agreement with Israel until it allowed 'food and medicine into Gaza in significant quantities'.
READ MORE: UK firms sent Israel thousands of military items despite export ban
The letter said: 'We are watching in horror the images coming from Gaza of malnourished babies and children.
"Since the 2nd of March 2025, Israel's hard-right government has banned all aid from entering the Gaza Strip.
"This hermetic siege is by far the longest and harshest ever to be imposed on the Strip.'
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government were referred to as 'the most extreme in Israel's history', noting that hostages from the October 7 attack have also been affected by the famine imposed on Gaza.
Yair Wallach, an associate professor at SOAS University of London, urged other Israelis in the UK to sign the petition, writing on social media platform Bluesky that "pleading with Netanyahu's rogue government will not do".
READ MORE: Irish broadcaster calls for 'discussions' on Israeli Eurovision involvement
Palestinians are becoming increasingly desperate as a result of Israel's assault on Gaza, with the United Nations saying what little food is left in supermarkets is unaffordable for most and that 80% of the population are dependent on the contents of aid trucks stuck at the border.
New plans were announced earlier this week regarding the seizure of the Gaza Strip, which would see hundreds of thousands of Palestinians displaced and forced into the south, worsening the already dire humanitarian crisis in the enclave.
At least 61 people have been killed by Israeli strikes since this morning, with the total death toll since October 7, 2023, sitting at over 52,000.
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Belfast Telegraph
36 minutes ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Emma Little-Pengelly slams criticism of NI economy: 'I am sick of some who constantly talk down NI'
Emma Little-Pengelly's comments follow Mary Lou McDonald's appearance on Good Morning Britain, where she made the case for reunification of the island of Ireland. 'We are now 27 years on from the Good Friday Agreement, as we all know a historic moment where we settled on the democratic and institutional arrangements to end what was a conflict that ran for centuries,' she said. 'We created the space to build peace and reconciliation, build friendships, build relationships across the island of Ireland, but also between Ireland and Britain. At the heart of that agreement is the commitment to a referendum to make the decision on partition. 'Just remember, more than a century ago Ireland was partitioned down the barrel of a British gun. There was no democracy involved. It was imposed on the island, and the consequences of it were literally devastating for our island, and deeply damaging to he relationship between Britain and Ireland. We need to fix all that. 'Politics has changed, we've all moved on, the peace has been established, I think we have made enormous strides, all of us, and I think Ireland and Britain and all the political leaders and the people deserve great credit for that. 'Now we're at a point where we say 'what's the next chapter?' For us, logically, in economic terms, in social terms, in democratic terms Irish unity makes sense.' Speaking at the QUB Global Economic Forum on Tuesday, Ms Pengelly criticised the comments and highlighted successes across several sectors. "I am sick of some who constantly talk down Northern Ireland,' Ms Little-Pengelly said. 'We are tasked with the responsibility and the honour of promoting this wonderful place with so much potential.' The DFM added that the region has attracted high levels of foreign direct investment and has over 1500 international firms operating locally. 'NI has one of the lowest levels of unemployment across the UK, and one of the highest educated and youngest workforces across these islands,' she continued. 'Northern Ireland deserves champions to promote all that is great about Northern Ireland. Those who believe in the future of our economy and will work to realise it." Ms Little-Pengelly also hit out at comments made by GMB host Richard Madeley who said Northern Ireland is 'close to being a basket case.' During the interview, Mr Madeley asked Ms McDonald: 'Why do you want Northern Ireland still so badly? Because, economically, I think it's fair to say it's close to being a basket case at the moment.' News Catch Up - Tuesday 15th July Ms Little-Pengelly rejected this claim and said the region is a 'base case for investment.' "Northern Ireland is far from an economic "basket case", indeed it is a base case for investment,' the DUP MLA said. 'And I welcome that was recognised by the many economists and experts in the Global Economic Forum today.' She called for Sinn Fein minister clarify if they are 'working to promote' the local economy. 'Our position has part of the UK, while having huge international access and appeal can truly elevate NI to new heights. "The economic plans of Sinn Fein as outlined by Michelle O'Neill and Mary-Lou McDonald in London this week are based on vagueness and fantasy. It is economic illiteracy. 'Michelle O'Neill and SF Economy Minister Archibald need to be open with the public - are they working to promote our economy or have they simply binned it as economically unviable."


The Independent
44 minutes ago
- The Independent
MPs call for sanctions over British man detained in Dubai for 17 years
MPs and peers have urged the Foreign Secretary to sanction those responsible for the detention of a British man in Dubai for the past 17 years. The group of 15 parliamentarians, led by Sir Iain Duncan Smith, said the case of Ryan Cornelius was a 'flagrant example of arbitrary detention and abuse of power' as they asked David Lammy to publicly call for his release. Mr Cornelius, now 71, was detained for 10 years in 2008 as part of a bank fraud case, and the detention was extended by 20 years in 2018. A UN working group has found he is subject to arbitrary detention and last week the European Parliament passed a resolution condemning his detention in 'inhumane conditions' and calling for his 'immediate and unconditional release'. After the European Parliament resolution, Sir Iain and his colleagues asked Mr Lammy to 'immediately clarify the Government's position on Mr Cornelius's case and confirm what steps you will now take to press for his release'. Specifically, they asked whether the Government would make 'strong representations to the UAE on his behalf', publicly call for his release and impose 'targeted' sanctions on those responsible for his detention. They said: 'The UK has a moral and legal duty to act, as well as a diplomatic responsibility to defend its citizens abroad from such mistreatment. 'We urge the Government to act with the utmost urgency to secure his release.' Sir Iain said it was 'vital' for the Government to take 'decisive action' to secure Mr Cornelius's release. Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer has previously said the Government would 'continue to highlight their concerns' in talks with the UAE and was providing Mr Cornelius with consular assistance, while it took reports of human rights violations 'very seriously'. But the UK's response to his detention has been criticised by Mr Cornelius's wife Heather and brother-in-law Chris Pagett. They said: 'For more than 17 years, we have had nothing but defensive waffle from the British Foreign Office. 'The European Parliament has made a strong and direct call to the UAE for Ryan's release within months of our taking his case to them. 'The contrast is shameful. The British people deserve better.' It is understood that the Government is supporting Mr Cornelius's application for clemency, and the issue was raised by the Foreign Secretary during a trip to the UAE in December last year.

South Wales Argus
an hour ago
- South Wales Argus
Israeli strikes in Gaza kill 93 Palestinians, health officials say
One strike in the northern Shati refugee camp killed a 68-year-old Hamas member of the Palestinian legislature, as well as a man and a woman and their six children who were sheltering in the same building, according to officials from Shifa Hospital, where the casualties were taken. One of the deadliest strikes hit a house in Gaza City's Tel al-Hawa district on Monday evening and killed 19 members of the family living inside, according to Shifa Hospital. The dead included eight women and six children. Smoke from an explosion rises in the northern Gaza Strip (Ohad Zwigenberg/AP) A strike on a tent housing displaced people in the same district killed a man, a woman and their two children. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military on the strikes. Gaza's Health Ministry said in a daily report on Tuesday afternoon that the bodies of 93 people killed by Israeli strikes had been brought to hospitals in Gaza over the past 24 hours, along with 278 wounded. It did not specify the total number of women and children among the dead. The Hamas politician killed in a strike early on Tuesday, Mohammed Faraj al-Ghoul, was a member of the bloc of representatives from the group that won seats in the Palestinian Legislative Council in the last election held among Palestinians in 2006. A convoy of Israeli military vehicles leaves the Gaza Strip near the Israel-Gaza border (Maya Alleruzzo/AP) Hamas won a majority in the vote, but relations with the main Fatah faction that had long led the Palestinian Authority unravelled and ended with Hamas taking over the Gaza Strip in 2007. The legislative council has not formally convened since. The Israeli military says it only targets militants and tries to avoid harming civilians. It blames civilian deaths on Hamas because the militants operate in densely populated areas. But daily, it hits homes and shelters where people are living without warning or explanation of the target. The latest attacks came after US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held two days of talks last week that ended with no sign of a breakthrough in negotiations over a ceasefire and hostage release. Israel has killed more than 58,400 Palestinians and wounded more than 139,000 others in its retaliation campaign since Hamas's attack on October 7 2023, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Just over half the dead are women and children, according to the ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and militants in its tally. Palestinians inspect the wreckage of a gas station destroyed in an Israeli airstrike in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP) The ministry, part of the Hamas-run government, is led by medical professionals. Its count, based on daily reports from hospitals, is considered by the United Nations and other experts to be the most reliable. Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas after its attack 20 months ago, in which militants stormed into southern Israel and killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians. They abducted 251 others, and the militants are still holding 50 hostages, fewer than half of them are believed to be alive. Israel's air and ground campaign has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and driven some 90% of the population from their homes. Aid groups say they have struggled to bring in food and other assistance because of Israeli military restrictions and the breakdown of law and order, and experts have warned of famine.