British Foreign Secretary David Cameron stated on Sunday that halting British arms sales to Israel, in the event of a ground attack on Rafah in Gaza, would strengthen “Hamas.”
On Saturday, Israel issued orders to evacuate other parts of Rafah in the south of the Strip, indicating that it is proceeding with plans for a ground assault despite U.S. President Joe Biden’s threat to halt some arms supplies if it goes ahead.
Cameron mentioned that he does not support an operation in Rafah without a plan to protect hundreds of thousands of civilians sheltering in the southern border city, according to Reuters. However, he added that Britain is “completely different” from the United States regarding arming Israel, as Britain’s share of it is less than one percent, and arms sales are already subject to strict licensing control. Cameron stated on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC): “We can, if we choose, send a political message and say we will take this political step.” He continued: “The last time I was asked to do so (…), Iran launched a brutal attack on Israel just days later involving the launch of 140 cruise missiles.”
He further stated that “the best response” is for “Hamas,” which governs Gaza, to accept a deal to release the hostages. He added, “Simply announcing today that we will completely change our approach towards arms exports instead of following our precise process will strengthen (Hamas) and reduce the chances of (securing) a hostage deal. I don’t think this approach would be correct.”
“Hamas” launched a surprise attack on southern Israel on October 7, which, according to Israeli statistics, killed about 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostages. The Gaza Health Ministry said on Sunday that the subsequent and ongoing Israeli military campaign has so far claimed the lives of more than 35,000 Palestinians.
