UK warns Israel over Gaza ‘suffering,’ hints at fresh sanctions
Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy has warned Israel that it could face further punitive measures after the U.K. joined a 28-nation statement condemning the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Gaza.
Speaking to Times Radio on Tuesday, Lammy said London would “consider more in the coming days” if the situation does not improve, accusing Israel of restricting aid access and worsening civilian suffering, News.Az reports, citing Politico.
The joint statement — signed by nations including Australia, Canada, and France — slammed Israel’s aid delivery model as “dangerous,” saying it “fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity.” It also rejected proposals to move Palestinians into a so-called “humanitarian city” as “completely unacceptable” and in violation of international law.
Israel dismissed the criticism as “disconnected from reality,” claiming the signatories are “sending the wrong message to Hamas,” which it has vowed to eliminate following the October 7, 2023 attacks.
Lammy highlighted that the U.K. has already sanctioned Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, suspended trade talks, and halted certain arms sales. But he warned additional steps could be taken unless the war and the “tremendous suffering in Gaza” end soon.
“You cannot reduce 400 aid points and the work of [UN aid agency] UNRWA down to just four points,” Lammy said. “You cannot cut the number of aid trucks from 700–800 a day to fewer than 40 and not expect chaos and hunger.”
Lammy criticized Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz’s proposal to relocate Palestinians into a concentrated area built on the ruins of Rafah, calling it “egregious” and “entirely unacceptable.”
“It’s bringing Israel into disrepute,” he told the BBC, adding that the U.K. wants a full and enduring ceasefire, not the 60-day pause proposed by the U.S.
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