Keir Starmer has finally broken his silence amid the mounting horror emerging from Gaza, on the day that the World Health Organisation warned of “man-made mass starvation”. This week, photos of emaciated Gaza children shocked Britons and the world, branded a “maelstrom of human misery” as hunger and suffering reached a level never seen before.
At least 21 children have died of malnutrition in Gaza this year, but at least 12 of those were in the past week. Amid the world united to call for an end to aid blockades, Prime Minister Keir Starmer finally issued a statement branding the suffering and starvation in Gaza “unspeakable and indefensible”. In an emergency statement this evening, Sir Keir warned: “While the situation has been grave for some time, it has reached new depths and continues to worsen. We are witnessing a humanitarian catastrophe.”
The Prime Minister announced he will hold an emergency call with the so-called E3 partners – Germany and France – tomorrow to discuss what they can do “to stop the killing and get people the food they desperately need”.
He added: “We all agree on the pressing need for Israel to change course and allow the aid that is desperately needed to enter Gaza without delay.
“It is hard to see a hopeful future in such dark times. But I must reiterate my call for all sides to engage in good faith, and at pace, to bring about an immediate ceasefire and for Hamas to unconditionally release all hostages. We strongly support the efforts of the US, Qatar and Egypt to secure this.
“We are clear that statehood is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people. A ceasefire will put us on a path to the recognition of a Palestinian state and a two-state solution which guarantees peace and security for Palestinians and Israelis.”
On Wednesday Foreign Secretary David Lammy said he felt “appalled” and “sickened” at the images and footage emerging from Gaza.
“These are not words that are usually used by a Foreign Secretary who is attempting to be diplomatic, but when you see innocent children holding out their hand for food, and you see them shot and killed in the way that we have seen in the last few days, of course Britain must call it out”, he added.
Photos of one-year-old Muhammad Zakariya Ayyoub al-Matouq made front-pages across the UK this week, including the Daily Express, as it showed his bones protruding through his brittle skin.
Today the head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) said Gaza is “facing yet another killer on top of bombs and bullets – starvation”.
On Wednesday Foreign Secretary David Lammy said he felt “appalled” and “sickened” at the images and footage emerging from Gaza.
“These are not words that are usually used by a Foreign Secretary who is attempting to be diplomatic, but when you see innocent children holding out their hand for food, and you see them shot and killed in the way that we have seen in the last few days, of course Britain must call it out”, he added.
Photos of one-year-old Muhammad Zakariya Ayyoub al-Matouq made front-pages across the UK this week, including the Daily Express, as it showed his bones protruding through his brittle skin.
Today the head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) said Gaza is “facing yet another killer on top of bombs and bullets – starvation”.