Latest news with #HumanitarianCrisis
The Guardian
an hour ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Cabinet ministers and third of MPs call on Starmer to recognise state of Palestine
Keir Starmer is under intense pressure from his most senior cabinet ministers and more than a third of MPs to move faster on recognising a Palestinian state in response to Israel withholding aid to starving civilians in Gaza. Angela Rayner, the deputy prime minister, and Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, are understood to be among ministers who believe the government should take the lead on Palestinian statehood alongside France. The prime minister is facing a growing clamour to take action amid the international outcry over Israel's actions, with charities saying that cases of severe malnutrition among children under five in Gaza City have tripled in the last two weeks. The UK, France and Germany said on Friday afternoon that the Gaza 'humanitarian catastrophe must end now' and called on Israel to 'immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid'. 'Withholding essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable,' they said in a joint statement. Starmer said after a call with Emmanuel Macron, the French president, and Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, that the 'continued captivity of hostages, the starvation and denial of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, the increasing violence from extremist settler groups, and Israel's disproportionate military escalation in Gaza are all indefensible'. He said he was 'unequivocal' in his support of recognising a Palestinian state but said 'it must be part of a wider plan which ultimately results in a two-state solution and lasting security for Palestinians and Israelis'. 'This is the way to ensure it is a tool of maximum utility to improve the lives of those who are suffering – which of course, will always be our ultimate goal.' The statement came as Donald Trump flew into Scotland for a four-day visit to his golf resorts. Macron upped the pressure on Starmer this week by announcing that France would recognise a Palestinian state at the UN general assembly in September. Starmer is due to meet the US president on Monday. Trump on Friday dismissed Macron's move by saying it 'doesn't carry weight' and is 'not going to change anything'. The UK government's policy is that it will formally acknowledge Palestine as part of a peace process, but only in conjunction with other western countries and 'at the point of maximum impact'. Cooper and Rayner are among more than half a dozen cabinet ministers who are pressing for urgent action. The Guardian revealed this week that Wes Streeting, the health secretary, Shabana Mahmood, the justice secretary, and Hilary Benn, the Northern Ireland secretary, have all pushed for recognition of Palestine at recent cabinet meetings. Ian Murray, the Scotland secretary, and Jo Stevens, the Wales secretary, have also brought up the issue in cabinet, according to a cabinet source. Murray and Stevens declined to comment. Lisa Nandy, the culture secretary, is also said to have called for action, and Lammy is said by colleagues to be pushing Downing Street to take a stronger stance. A government source said it was increasingly 'everybody versus No 10'. 'Too many people in No 10 just see this as a 'left' issue and actually don't get how widespread public anger is,' a Labour source said. Rayner issued a warning last month by saying that the West needed to avoid repeating past mistakes when it came to Gaza. Addressing a service at St Paul's Cathedral to mark the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, where more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were killed by Serbian forces in 1995, she said: 'The West took too long to act in the 1990s and we should have acted sooner. Now we must learn the lessons of history and the consequences of inaction.' On Friday 221 MPs from nine political parties across the Commons signed a letter to Lammy calling for British recognition of Palestine to be announced next week at a UN conference in New York. Sign up to Headlines UK Get the day's headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morning after newsletter promotion 'Whilst we appreciate the UK does not have it in its power to bring about a free and independent Palestine, UK recognition would have a significant impact due to our historic connections and our membership on the UN security council,' the MPs wrote. 'British recognition of Palestine would be particularly powerful given its role as the author of the Balfour Declaration and the former Mandatory Power in Palestine. Since 1980 we have backed a two-state solution. Such a recognition would give that position substance as well as living up to a historic responsibility we have to the people under that Mandate.' The letter's signatories included several Labour select committee chairs including Emily Thornberry of foreign affairs, Sarah Champion of international development and Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi of defence. Other signatories included Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey, Green party co-leaders Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay, the SNP's Westminster leader Stephen Flynn and Conservative MPs Kit Malthouse and Edward Leigh. The true number of backbench Labour MPs who support recognition is even higher. Several told the Guardian that they were in favour the move but did not put their names to the letter. 'We need to do more. Israel is committing terrible war crimes,' one Labour MP said. Nearly 60 Labour MPs signed a similar letter to Lammy earlier this month. The medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières said that cases of severe malnutrition among children under five at its Gaza City clinic have tripled in the last two weeks and the UN World Food Programme said nearly a third of people in Gaza were not eating for days, with the hunger crisis had reached 'new and astonishing levels of desperation'. Israel said it would allow foreign countries to resume aid drops into Gaza from Friday. The UN secretary general, António Guterres, accused the international community of sticking its head in the sand as Palestinians starved in Gaza, lambasting what he called a 'lack of humanity'. 'This is not just a humanitarian crisis. It is a moral crisis that challenges the global conscience. We will continue to speak out at every opportunity,' he said on Friday.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
U.S. and Israel pull out of cease-fire talks as Gaza humanitarian crisis worsens
Cease-fire negotiations between Israel, Hamas, and the U.S. have broken down, with President Trump's special envoy blaming Hamas for the impasse. Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is rapidly escalating. The UN reports rising malnutrition among children, and aid groups say Israeli restrictions are preventing delivery of food. NBC News' Matt Bradley reports from Tel Aviv on the growing international alarm. Solve the daily Crossword
The Independent
3 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
UK, France and Germany demand ‘end' to war in Gaza and aid to be allowed in immediately
The UK, France and Germany have called for an end to the war in Gaza and for Israel to "immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid" into the area. "The humanitarian catastrophe that we are witnessing in Gaza must end now,' Sir Keir Starmer said in a joint statement with German chancellor Friedrich Merz and French president Emmanuel Macron. But he resisted calls to recognise the state of Palestine immediately. The PM is under increasing pressure on the issue after 221 MPs from across different political parties joined forces to call on the government to recognise a Palestinian state. Sir Keir said: 'The appalling scenes in Gaza are unrelenting. The continued captivity of hostages, the starvation and denial of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, the increasing violence from extremist settler groups, and Israel's disproportionate military escalation in Gaza are all indefensible. 'Alongside our closest allies, I am working on a pathway to peace in the region, focused on the practical solutions that will make a real difference to the lives of those that are suffering in this war. 'That pathway will set out the concrete steps needed to turn the ceasefire so desperately needed, into a lasting peace.' He added: 'Recognition of a Palestinian state has to be one of those steps. I am unequivocal about that. But it must be part of a wider plan which ultimately results in a two-state solution and lasting security for Palestinians and Israelis. This is the way to ensure it is a tool of maximum utility to improve the lives of those who are suffering – which of course, will always be our ultimate goal.'
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Sadiq Khan slapped down by Labour minister over demand UK recognise a Palestinian state NOW amid growing party row over bloodshed in Gaza
Sir Sadiq Khan was slapped down by a senior cabinet minister today over his demand that Britain immediately recognise a Palestinian State. The London mayor spoke out publicly yesterday amid growing international concern - and within the top ranks of the Labour party - at the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. He said that the UK 'must do far more to pressure the Israeli government to stop this horrific senseless killing', as aid groups warned of starvation in the Gaza Strip caused by the IDF aid blockade. Sir Sadiq warned that there might not be much left of Palestine to make into a state if global leaders do not pressure Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to halt the bloodshed. But Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds today suggested that recognising a Palestinian state now would be meaningless, as there is no political unity in the area. Gaza is currently run by the terrorist group Hamas, while the occupied West Bank is run by the Palestinian Authority, with the two at loggerheads for years. Mr Reynolds told LBC Radio: 'We are deeply committed to the recognition of Palestine as a state, which was part of our manifesto, but obviously we want that to be meaningful. 'Now, at the minute, there is not a Palestinian state there. There is no political agreement between the two principal Palestinian territories in the West Bank and Gaza. 'We have taken other steps in relation to the intolerable situation in Gaza. We've obviously sanctioned two Israeli cabinet ministers. I myself have ended arms exports to Israel that could be used in the conflict in Gaza. 'We've ended our talks with Israel on a more enhanced trade agreement and trade relationship. So we have taken those immediate steps. 'And we do want to see Palestine recognised. I want that to be meaningful. I want that to be working with partners, other countries around the world.' The UN food agency said the IDF fired on a crowd of Palestinians seeking humanitarian aid over the weekend. But Sir Sadiq has publicly spoken out ahead of two potentially difficult summer visits to the UK by Donald Trump, a close ally of Israeli PM Netanyahu. The US president, who arrived in Scotland tomorrow for a private visit to his golf courses, has suggested turning Gaza into a tourist resort while evicting its Palestinian population. So far Sir Keir has resisted calls to recognise Palestine. But Wes Streeting is among those who have demanded it this week, echoing Sir Sadiq's argument. In a statement Sir Sadiq said: 'The absolutely harrowing scenes of suffering in Gaza are being made worse by the day, with no sign of the crisis abating. 'Starving children searching hopelessly for food in the rubble, family members shot dead by Israeli soldiers as they search for aid... 'There can be no two state solution if there is no viable state left to call Palestine.' More than 100 organisations, including Doctors Without Borders and Save the Children, have put their names to an open letter in which they said they were watching their own colleagues, as well as the Palestinians they serve, 'waste away'. It comes as the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, labelled the situation in Gaza 'a stain on the conscience of the international community'. He said: 'With each passing day in Gaza, the violence, starvation and dehumanisation being inflicted on the civilian population by the government of Israel becomes more depraved and unconscionable.' Hamas-led militants based in Gaza 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. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed more than 55,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which says women and children make up more than half of the dead. It does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
Al Jazeera
2 days ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Israeli strikes kill 21 Palestinians, mostly women and children
Israeli strikes kill 21 Palestinians, mostly women and children NewsFeed Three Israeli strikes hit homes and a tent in Gaza City on Tuesday, killing at least 21 people, mostly women and children. The attacks come as the besieged territory faces extreme hunger and ongoing bombardment. Video Duration 03 minutes 07 seconds 03:07 Video Duration 00 minutes 54 seconds 00:54 Video Duration 03 minutes 18 seconds 03:18 Video Duration 00 minutes 40 seconds 00:40 Video Duration 03 minutes 00 seconds 03:00 Video Duration 01 minutes 39 seconds 01:39 Video Duration 01 minutes 47 seconds 01:47
