The fallout from the Israel-Gaza war dominated the UK Parliament’s debate on Tuesday following the first king’s speech in 70 years.
Both Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and opposition leader Keir Starmer used their response to King Charles III’s outline of the government’s agenda to highlight the bloodshed in the Middle East.
Mr Sunak ruled out calling for a ceasefire which he said would only “entrench” Hamas’s positions and allow it to continue attacks against Israel.
Mr Starmer argued that while Israel had a right to defend itself, this was “not a blank cheque” and it must “comply with international law” in Gaza.
More than 10,000 Palestinians have been killed in the bombing campaign, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry, after militants slaughtered 1,400 people in Israel on October 7.
Gaza’s plight featured prominently in the king’s speech in which he said Britain would continue to support peace and stability in the Middle East.
The king, giving his first speech as crowned monarch following the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II last year, condemned the “barbaric acts of terrorism against the people of Israel” in his address but called for “facilitating humanitarian support into Gaza and supporting the cause of peace and stability in the Middle East”.
While some Labour MPs have called on Mr Starmer to advocate an outright ceasefire, he argued for a “humanitarian pause” and for the more than 230 hostages held by Hamas to be released.
“Every day in Gaza brings with it more pain suffering and agony,” he told MPs. “Thousands of civilians have died including innocent women and children.”
The Prime Minister repeated his call for a humanitarian pause to get aid into Gaza and the hostages and foreign citizens out.
“But a unilateral and unconditional ceasefire would simply allow Hamas to entrench its position and continue attacks against Israel,” he warned.
“Only last week, Hamas reiterated its intentions, stating clearly it will repeat the October 7 attack time and again until Israel is annihilated. Faced with such a threat, no country could be reasonably expected not to act.”
Mr Sunak said that he had urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “take all possible measures to minimise civilian casualties” as well as “avoid inflaming tensions in the West Bank, where settler violence must stop”.
The British government would also not tolerate the “hatred and anti-Semitism” seen on its streets, he said.
“It sickens me to think that British Jews are looking over their shoulder in this country,” he added.
“That children are going to school covering up their school badges for fear of attack. This government will do whatever it takes to keep the Jewish community safe.
“Just as we will do whatever it takes to keep every community safe. And we will fight hatred and extremism in all its forms.”
