Israel is breaking international law by stopping aid into Gaza, the foreign secretary has said, in a significant strengthening of the UK’s position.
David Lammy said that while Israel “quite rightly must defend its own security”, the ongoing blockade of goods and supplies to the strip was a “breach of international law”.
Appearing in the Commons, Mr Lammy was repeatedly asked about Israel’s decision at the beginning of the month, which came about following disagreements with Hamas over ceasefire terms set out in January following 15 months of war sparked by the 7 October attack against Israel.
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Asked by Labour MP Rupa Huq what the “consequences” would be for Israel’s “provocative action” during the holy month of Ramadan, the foreign secretary said for the first time that Israel was in breach of international law.
“Well, my honourable friend is right,” he said. “This is a breach of international law.
“Israel quite rightly must defend its own security but we find the lack of aid – it’s now been 15 days since aid got into Gaza – unacceptable, hugely alarming and very worrying.
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“We would urge Israel to get back to the amount of trucks that we were seeing going in, way beyond 600, so that Palestinians can get the necessary humanitarian support they need at this time.”
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the decision to stop aid going into Gaza after Hamas rejected an Israeli request to extend the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire.
The militant group said it would only release the remaining Israeli hostages under the terms of the already agreed-upon phased deal, and not as per the plan put forward by US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, which would see the first phase of the ceasefire deal continue through Ramadan and Passover, or until 20 April.
The war between Israel and Hamas has left most of Gaza’s population of over 2 million dependent on international aid.
Approximately 600 aid trucks had been entering the strip every day since the ceasefire began in January. Israel claims that Hamas hijacks the trucks and “turns aid into weapons”.
The Israel foreign ministry has claimed there is “no shortage of essential products in the strip whatsoever”.
“The only humanitarian suffering in Gaza is that of the Israeli hostages, who are being chained, starved, and held in Hamas tunnels.”
The UK government has previously stopped short of accusing Israel of breaking international law, saying only in a joint statement with French and German foreign ministers at the beginning of the month that the most recent aid blockade “would risk violating international humanitarian law”.
“Humanitarian aid should never be contingent on a ceasefire or used as a political tool,” they added.
“We reiterate that the civilians of Gaza who have suffered so much must be allowed to return to their homes and rebuild their lives.”
Last September the UK suspended arms sales to Israel on the grounds that, following a review of export licences for UK arms, there was a “clear risk” they might be used to commit “a serious violation of international humanitarian law”.
The suspension covered components that go into military aircraft that have been used in Gaza, including helicopters and drones, as well as items which facilitate ground targeting.
But it did not include parts for multinational F-35 fighter jets – something that has concerned opposition MPs and human rights charities.
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The move prompted a critical response from Mr Netanyahu, who said it was “shameful” and “will not change Israel’s determination to defeat Hamas, a genocidal terrorist organization that savagely murdered 1200 people on October 7, including 14 British citizens”.
The war in Gaza began after Hamas militants carried out a cross-border raid into southern Israel on 7 October 2023, killing 1,200 people and capturing around 250 hostages, according to Israeli officials.
Israel responded by launching an air and ground offensive in Gaza which has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, say Gaza health officials.
The Gaza health ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count but said more than half of the fatalities were women and children.
