UK Ambassador to the United Nations (UN) Barbara Woodward affirmed that Palestinian civilians are facing a devastating humanitarian crisis amid the ongoing war in Gaza.
“We are particularly worried about the situation in Rafah, where a military operation could have appalling consequences for civilians sheltering there with nowhere else to go,” Woodward said at the UN Security Council.
During her speech, the UK official called for an immediate suspension in fighting to get aid in and hostages out, leading to a permanent and sustainable ceasefire.
“That means the release of all hostages; the formation of a new Palestinian Government for the West Bank and Gaza, accompanied by an international support package; removing Hamas’s capacity to launch attacks against Israel; Hamas no longer in charge of Gaza; and, a political horizon which provides a credible and irreversible pathway towards a two-state solution.”
Sir Keir Starmer, the leader of the UK Labour Party, recently emphasized the need for a lasting ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza conflict during his address at a Scottish Labour conference in Glasgow.
This statement came shortly after the conference endorsed a motion for an immediate halt to the hostilities in Gaza.
The Labour Party faces renewed scrutiny over its position on the conflict, especially with an upcoming vote in the Commons, led by the SNP, advocating for an immediate ceasefire. This follows a previous occasion where 56 Labour MPs supported an SNP motion for a ceasefire three months prior.
Sir Keir articulated the universal desire for a permanent end to the conflict, stressing the importance of stopping the fighting immediately without specifically mentioning an “immediate” ceasefire, a term preferred by the SNP.
