UK threatens new Israel sanctions over ‘appalling’ Gaza situation

Britain’s prime minister blasts Israel’s conduct in the Gaza war as “intolerable,’ lamenting ‘dark days’ in the Strip and threatening to impose new sanctions if the war should continue.

By World Israel News Staff

Britain’s prime minister on Wednesday castigated Israel’s ongoing war against the Hamas terror organization in the Gaza Strip and said that his government is considering new punitive measures against the Jewish state.

Speaking at the House of Commons, Prime Minister Keir Starmer blasted Israel’s expanded counter-terror operation in the Gaza Strip, saying it presaged “dark days” for the coastal enclave which would force Britain to take “further action” against the Jewish state.

“Israel’s recent action is appalling and in my view counterproductive and intolerable, and we have strongly opposed the expansion of military operations and settler violence, and the blocking of humanitarian aid,” Starmer told British parliamentarians.

“We have suspended the FTA talks and sanctioned extremists supporting violence in the West Bank,” Starmer continued, referencing sanctions imposed by his government last month on two Israeli fledgling communities in Judea and Samaria and three members of the settlement movement. Britain also suspended negotiations with Israeli representatives on the Free Trade Agreement, in a sign of London’s displeasure over the war in Gaza.

Starmer added that his government is pursuing additional measures to pressure Israel to end its war against Hamas. “We will keep looking at further actions along with our allies, including sanctions.”

“Let me be absolutely clear, we need to get back to a ceasefire. We need the hostages who’ve been held for a very long time to be released and we desperately need more aid at speed and at volume into Gaza, because it’s an appalling and intolerable situation.”

In response to questions from Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrat party, Starmer said Britain is eyeing other steps with its allies to pressure Israel to permit larger amounts of aid into the Gaza Strip.

Britain, Starmer said, is “working at pace with our allies on that very issue, to take whatever measures we can to get that humanitarian aid in.”

“We’ll continue to do that because that aid needs to get in at speed and at volume.”