UK warns Israel 'end Gaza blockade now' as David Lammy condemns 'monstrous' actions

After another day of bloodshed in Gaza, and another dire warning of starvation facing thousands of innocents, even ’s staunchest allies are saying enough is enough.

Overnight air strikes hit a family home and a school as they added another 73 to the death toll, ahead of a renewed ground offensive. And the UN warned as many as 14,000 babies are at imminent risk of starving to death unless aid starts to get to families in the Strip.

The UK suspended trade talks with Israel and summoned the ambassador, Tzipi Hotovely, for urgent talks. Foreign Secretary addressed Prime Minister , saying: “End this blockade now and let the aid in.”

And Prime Minister said: “The current situation in which we are seeing the bombardment, including of children, and the prospect of starvation, is just intolerable.”

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It marks a significant hardening of the UK’s position as global condemnation mounts over Israel’s actions.

MPs shouted “shame” and “genocide” as Mr Lammy pointed to comments from Israel’s finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, who said Israel’s army would wipe out what is left of Gaza.

“No more raids and going in and out, but conquering, cleansing and remaining until Hamas is destroyed,” Smotrich said. “We are destroying what is still left of the Strip.”

The Foreign Secretary said: “We must call this what it is. It is extremism. It is dangerous. It is repellent. It is monstrous and I condemn it in the strongest possible terms.”

Mr Lammy said the UK had supported Israel’s right to defend itself after the attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,200 people and led to 251 hostages being taken. But with the death toll of Israel’s retaliation now topping 53,000, he said: “It’s morally unjustifiable, it’s wholly disproportionate, it’s utterly counterproductive – this is not the way to bring the hostages home.

“Nor will this plan eliminate Hamas or make Israel secure. This war has left a generation orphaned and traumatised, ready for Hamas to recruit.

“They are isolating Israel from its friends and partners, undermining the interests of the Israeli people and damaging the image of Israel.”

Of Israel’s leaders, he said: “History will judge them. This is indefensible, and it must stop.”

But Israel shrugged off the mounting global condemnation and continued its onslaught on Gaza. Two strikes in the north hit a family home and a school-turned-shelter, killing at least 22 people.

An attack on the central city of Deir al-Balah killed 13 people, while another in the nearby Nuseirat refugee camp killed 15, according to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.

Two strikes in the southern city of Khan Younis killed 10 people, according to Nasser Hospital, and an evacuation order was issued for the city. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.

After nearly three months of a total blockade, aid is finally beginning to return to Gaza. After the first five trucks entered on Monday, dozens more began entering yesterday ­afternoon, Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein said.

But UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said aid workers were not able to bring it to where it is needed.

And UN humanitarian chief said the aid that had arrived so far was a drop in the ocean, adding: “There are 14,000 babies that will die unless we can reach them.”

Israel is allowing in dozens of aid trucks per day – far fewer than the 600 allowed daily during the latest ceasefire, which Israel ended in March.

Mr Lammy condemned settler violence in the West Bank. The UK will slap sanctions and travel bans on settler leader Daniella Weiss, who featured in Louis Theroux’s documentary The Settlers, and two others.

Mr Marmorstein said: “If, due to anti-Israel obsession and domestic considerations, the British government is willing to harm the British economy, that is its prerogative. The British mandate ended exactly 77 years ago.”

Yair Golan, leader of Israel’s opposition Democrats party, said: “A sane country doesn’t kill babies as a hobby and doesn’t set for itself the goals of expelling a population.”

The UK has continued to issue military goods export licences to Israel since the start of the latest conflict. However, licences can be revoked if there is a clear risk arms are being used to violate human rights law.

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