Israel 'wrong' to escalate conflict with Gaza City takeover plan, Starmer says

Israel is "wrong" to approve plans to occupy Gaza City, Sir Keir Starmer has said, and urged it to reconsider the new offensive or it will "bring more bloodshed".

The Prime Minister's intervention comes after his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu met with his war cabinet and approved plans for a major escalation in the conflict early on Friday.

The Israeli plan stops short of fully taking over all of Gaza, as had been touted ahead of the war cabinet meeting.

But the Prime Minister insisted Israel should de-escalate, rather than launch the operation.

Sir Keir said: "The Israeli government's decision to further escalate its offensive in Gaza is wrong, and we urge it to reconsider immediately.

"This action will do nothing to bring an end to this conflict or to help secure the release of the hostages. It will only bring more bloodshed."

He added: "Every day the humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsens and hostages taken by Hamas are being held in appalling and inhuman conditions.

"What we need is a ceasefire, a surge in humanitarian aid, the release of all hostages by Hamas and a negotiated solution."

The Prime Minister has pledged to recognise a Palestinian state by September unless Israel meets a series of conditions towards ending the war in Gaza.

He has also urged Hamas to disarm, release its remaining Israeli hostages, and accept it will have no part in the future governance of Gaza.

If Israel'sGaza City offensive goes ahead, the prospect of it meeting Sir Keir's conditions to prevent the UK recognising Palestinian statehood would likely diminish.

In his statement, Sir Keir also warned the prospect of a two-state solution reached through a negotiated peace was "vanishing before our eyes".

He said: "Together with our allies, we are working on a long-term plan to secure peace in the region as part of a two-state solution, and ultimately achieve a brighter future for Palestinians and Israelis.

"But without both sides engaging in good faith in negotiations, that prospect is vanishing before our eyes.

"Our message is clear: a diplomatic solution is possible, but both parties must step away from the path of destruction."

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey urged the Government to block all arms exports to Israel and sanction Mr Netanyahu, saying it is becoming "increasingly clear that his goal is ethnic cleansing" in Gaza.

"Netanyahu's plans to occupy the whole of Gaza are utterly abhorrent," he said.

"Rather than sitting on its hands and issuing strongly worded statements, the UK Government needs to take decisive action. Keir Starmer needs to stop the export of all UK arms to Israel - today - and sanction Netanyahu and his cabinet."