Israel ‘tarnishing reputation', Lammy says as country rejects UK warnings
The Foreign Secretary said Palestinians have been subject to a 'grotesque spectacle' as he addressed MPs amid a ground operation targeting Deir al-Balah, the main hub for humanitarian efforts in the enclave.
Earlier on Monday, Mr Lammy and counterparts from 24 other nations including France, Canada and Australia urged Israel to lift restrictions on the flow of aid.
They condemned the government's 'dangerous' system for delivering humanitarian assistance, which they said 'deprives Gazans of human dignity.'
'We condemn the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food,' the statement, which was also signed by the EU commissioner for equality, said.
The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths.
Alongside 25 other partners, the UK message is clear: the war in Gaza must end now.
We need an immediate ceasefire, release of all hostages and a full resumption of aid. https://t.co/drlpbidmWl
— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) July 21, 2025
In response, Israel's foreign ministry claimed the statement was 'disconnected from reality' and 'sends the wrong message to Hamas.'
'The statement fails to focus the pressure on Hamas and fails to recognise Hamas's role and responsibility for the situation,' the ministry said.
'Hamas is the sole party responsible for the continuation of the war and the suffering on both sides.
'At these sensitive moments in the ongoing negotiations, it is better to avoid statements of this kind.'
Asked about the situation later on Monday, Mr Lammy told the Commons: 'That ignoring of the international community is tarnishing greatly the reputation of Israel.
'We continue, of course, to look at what further we may need to do as he would expect.'
Palestinians have been subjected to a 'grotesque spectacle' and a 'litany of horrors,' he said, adding: 'I utterly condemn the killing of civilians seeking to meet their basic needs.
'I firmly believe the Israeli government's actions are doing untold damage to Israel's standing in the world, and undermining Israel's long-term security.'
Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman Calum Miller had earlier asked Mr Lammy: 'Can he explain why there have been so few consequences since he and the minister spoke so powerfully in the last two months?
'And can he dispel the widespread view that he is not setting the policy he would choose, but that he is instead being reined in by No 10's desire not to upset President Trump, by acting more boldly.'
Mr Lammy said 'it is a source of great regret' that the conflict has not been brought to an end.
Earlier this month Israeli defence minister Israel Katz laid out plans for the 'humanitarian city' in Rafah, Gaza's most southern city which has been heavily damaged through the war.
He reportedly said that the military would initially move 600,000 Palestinians there, with the aim of eventually transferring the whole population to Rafah.
'Proposals to remove the Palestinian population into a 'humanitarian city' are completely unacceptable,' the foreign ministers said on Monday.
'Permanent forced displacement is a violation of international humanitarian law.'
The signatories also pledged that they would be 'prepared to take further action to support an immediate ceasefire'.
In his statement to Parliament, Mr Lammy also announced a new £60 million package to support food assistance programmes, water and sanitation services and maternal and children's healthcare in the enclave.
Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry have said dozens of people were killed trying to access food aid over the weekend.
At the Commons Liaison Committee, Sir Keir Starmer reiterated his commitment to recognising a Palestinian state and described the situation in Gaza as 'intolerable'.
'Whether that's the deaths of those that are queuing for aid, whether it's the plans to force Palestinians to live in certain areas or be excluded from certain areas, they are all intolerable and absolutely wrong in principle,' he said.
Sir Keir's Government also faced criticism from the Labour chairwoman of the Commons International Development Committee over the continued supply of parts for the F-35 fighter jet to Israel.
Sarah Champion said: 'Alongside 25 other countries, the UK has issued a statement condemning Israel's actions in Gaza and the West Bank but failed to provide concrete actions on how they will be held to account.
'The committee's recent report on upholding international law, and our challenge on F-35 components, both give the Government practical tools to compel Israel to meet its obligations as an occupying nation.'
Israeli ground troops pushed into areas of Deir al-Balah, where several aid groups are based, for the first time on Monday.
Tens of thousands of people have sought refuge in the city, which has avoided widespread devastation during the war, leading to speculation that Hamas holds large numbers of hostage there.
Hamas-led militants abducted 251 people in the October 7 attack in 2023 that triggered the war and killed around 1,200 people.
Fewer than half of the 50 hostages still in Gaza are believed to be alive.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
North Wales Chronicle
13 minutes ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Council recognising their town's link with Gaza is ‘important' says Jewish group
Last week, Hastings Borough Council, in east Sussex, passed a motion to back an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, an end to all arms sales to Israel and to support the town's friendship links with the people of Al-Mawasi – a section of the Gaza strip. The decision comes after multiple attempts over the past 21 months to bring a ceasefire motion prior to the recent local elections, which changed the make-up of the council. The motion was carried by a majority of 14 Green and Hastings Independent Group MPs, with three voting against and 11 abstentions, mostly from Labour councillors. Hastings Jews for Justice have welcomed the decision, they said: 'We stand with the Palestinians in Gaza who are being slaughtered and starved right now and we demand immediate action of our politicians. 'We applaud all the councillors who chose to stand on the right side of history and used their voice and their vote to fight these crimes against humanity. 'And we reject the idea, shared by several Labour councillors during the debate, that standing up for a people facing genocide is an attack on Jewish people in our community or 'divisive'.' Proposing the motion, Green Party councillor Yunis Smith said: 'We must ask ourselves, when the dust settles, will we have done enough? Will we be able to say that we stood up even when it was difficult? 'Or will we, like generations before us, say that we saw the signs and still we did nothing?' In December 2023, Al-Mawasi was designated a safe zone by the IDF and Palestinians were urged repeatedly to relocate to the area. Since then, the area has been repeatedly attacked, one of the most deadly was July 13 2024, where Israeli jets bombed Al-Mawasi, killing 90 people and injuring 300 displaced Palestinians, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry. Hastings Friends of Al-Mawasi group has been building a friendship and language exchange with the Palestinian area over the past few years. Mr Smith said: 'From one coastal town to another, we've shown that solidarity, dignity and human connection shine brighter than cruelty, 'Al-Mawasi, like Hastings, is defined not just by its land but by the resilience of its people. They survive, endure and beckon us to witness their struggle and their strength.' Hastings has become the most recent in a line of UK councils to pass a motion calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Hastings Jews for Justice added: 'This is an important act of solidarity with a people who are being made to suffer in the most horrific ways imaginable and we are determined to show that as British Jews it is not in our names.' The Green leader of the council, Councillor Glen Haffenden, has reportedly received more emails on this subject from his residents than on any other subject since becoming a councillor. Hastings campaign group Friends of Al-Mawasi says there has been a 'marked escalation of threatening and abusive behaviour' towards anyone in the town showing sympathy or support for Palestine over the past few weeks. Sussex Police have confirmed that an investigation is ongoing after a woman was allegedly assaulted while wearing a Keffiyah at the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill.
BreakingNews.ie
13 minutes ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Zelensky announces new anti-corruption Bill after public outcry and EU criticism
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that he is sending a new anti-corruption Bill to Ukraine's Parliament on Thursday, in a further attempt to defuse tensions after he approved changes to corruption laws that brought a public outcry and sharp criticism from the European Union. Opponents of the contentious law passed by politicians and approved by Mr Zelensky earlier this week said that it stripped Ukraine's anti-corruption watchdogs of their independence by granting the government more oversight of their work. Advertisement Mr Zelensky said it was needed to speed up investigations, ensure more convictions and remove 'Russian influence' from the fight against corruption, though he did not provide examples of Russian meddling. In an abrupt change of course on Thursday, Mr Zelensky unexpectedly said that he had drawn up a new draft Bill on corruption that 'guarantees the real strengthening of the law and order system in Ukraine'. 'The most important thing is real tools, no Russian connections, and the independence of the (watchdogs),' he said in a Telegram post. The declaration appeared to bow to recent pressure that threatened to undermine public trust in Ukraine's leaders after more than three years of fighting Russia's full-scale invasion. Advertisement The protests have not called for Mr Zelensky ousting, but they are the first major anti-government demonstrations since the war began. 'It is important that we maintain unity,' Mr Zelensky said in his post. The announcement also left some questions unanswered. Volodymyr Zelensky attending the parliament session in Kyiv on Thursday (Vadym Sarakhan/AP) Mr Zelensky had said on Wednesday that he met the heads of Ukraine's key anti-corruption and security agencies and gave them two weeks to make recommendations on how the graft law could be improved before he presented another Bill to Parliament. It is unclear what becomes of that effort to seek their input. Advertisement Despite that assurance of new legislation, further street protests were scheduled for Thursday evening. The new pronouncement also left unclear whether Mr Zelensky intended to revoke the law that he approved earlier in the week after Parliament had passed it. He did not publicise details about the proposed new law. The unrest has come at a difficult time in the all-out war, which began on February 24 2022. Russia's bigger army is accelerating its efforts to pierce Ukraine's frontline defences and is escalating its bombardment of Ukrainian cities. Ukraine is also facing a question mark over whether the United States will provide more military aid and whether European commitments can take up the slack, with no end in sight to the war. Advertisement Delegations from Russia and Ukraine met in Istanbul for a third round of talks in as many months on Wednesday. But once again, the talks were brief and delivered no major breakthrough. Fighting entrenched corruption is crucial for Ukraine's aspirations to join the EU and maintain access to billions of dollars in Western aid in the war. It is also an effort that enjoys broad public support. EU enlargement commissioner Marta Kos expressed concern on Wednesday over the new law, calling it 'a serious step back'. The Ukrainian branch of Transparency International criticizsed parliament's decision, saying it undermines one of the most significant reforms since what Ukraine calls its Revolution of Dignity in 2014 and damages trust with international partners. Advertisement People look at a ruined city market following Russia's drone attack in Odesa on Thursday (Michael Shtekel/AP) Meanwhile, two women aged 48 and 59 were killed and 14 other people were injured when Russian forces dropped four powerful glide bombs on Kostiantynivka, an industrial city in eastern Ukraine, and shelled it with artillery, Donetsk regional governor Vadym Filashkin said. Russian planes also dropped two glide bombs on the centre of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, on Thursday morning, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said. At least 42 people were wounded, including two babies, a 10-year-old girl and two 17 year olds, authorities said. The southern city of Odesa, and Cherkasy in central Ukraine, were also hit overnight, authorities said. The drone and missile strikes on the cities wounded 11 people, including a nine-year-old, and damaged historic landmarks and residential buildings, officials said. Ukraine has sought to step up its own long-range drone attacks on Russia, using domestic technology and manufacturing. An overnight Ukrainian drone attack on the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi killed two women and wounded 11 other people, local authorities said Thursday. An oil depot was hit, officials said, without offering details.
Rhyl Journal
14 minutes ago
- Rhyl Journal
Council recognising their town's link with Gaza is ‘important' says Jewish group
Last week, Hastings Borough Council, in east Sussex, passed a motion to back an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, an end to all arms sales to Israel and to support the town's friendship links with the people of Al-Mawasi – a section of the Gaza strip. The decision comes after multiple attempts over the past 21 months to bring a ceasefire motion prior to the recent local elections, which changed the make-up of the council. The motion was carried by a majority of 14 Green and Hastings Independent Group MPs, with three voting against and 11 abstentions, mostly from Labour councillors. Hastings Jews for Justice have welcomed the decision, they said: 'We stand with the Palestinians in Gaza who are being slaughtered and starved right now and we demand immediate action of our politicians. 'We applaud all the councillors who chose to stand on the right side of history and used their voice and their vote to fight these crimes against humanity. 'And we reject the idea, shared by several Labour councillors during the debate, that standing up for a people facing genocide is an attack on Jewish people in our community or 'divisive'.' Proposing the motion, Green Party councillor Yunis Smith said: 'We must ask ourselves, when the dust settles, will we have done enough? Will we be able to say that we stood up even when it was difficult? 'Or will we, like generations before us, say that we saw the signs and still we did nothing?' In December 2023, Al-Mawasi was designated a safe zone by the IDF and Palestinians were urged repeatedly to relocate to the area. Since then, the area has been repeatedly attacked, one of the most deadly was July 13 2024, where Israeli jets bombed Al-Mawasi, killing 90 people and injuring 300 displaced Palestinians, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry. Hastings Friends of Al-Mawasi group has been building a friendship and language exchange with the Palestinian area over the past few years. Mr Smith said: 'From one coastal town to another, we've shown that solidarity, dignity and human connection shine brighter than cruelty, 'Al-Mawasi, like Hastings, is defined not just by its land but by the resilience of its people. They survive, endure and beckon us to witness their struggle and their strength.' Hastings has become the most recent in a line of UK councils to pass a motion calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Hastings Jews for Justice added: 'This is an important act of solidarity with a people who are being made to suffer in the most horrific ways imaginable and we are determined to show that as British Jews it is not in our names.' The Green leader of the council, Councillor Glen Haffenden, has reportedly received more emails on this subject from his residents than on any other subject since becoming a councillor. Hastings campaign group Friends of Al-Mawasi says there has been a 'marked escalation of threatening and abusive behaviour' towards anyone in the town showing sympathy or support for Palestine over the past few weeks. Sussex Police have confirmed that an investigation is ongoing after a woman was allegedly assaulted while wearing a Keffiyah at the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill.
