Keir Starmer Says New Israeli Ground Offensive Will Cause More Bloodshed
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Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said the Israeli government's decision to take control of Gaza is "wrong" and will only bring more "bloodshed".
On Thursday evening, Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced his security cabinet had agreed to occupy the whole Gaza strip in order to defeat Hamas.
The first stage of the new offensive is expected to include the encircling of all remaining areas of the Gaza Strip including Gaza City. The IDF currently holds around 75 per cent of the area.
Critics including senior IDF officials have warned the new plan could endanger the lives of the remaining 20 hostages, as well as uprooting thousands of Palestinian civillians.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the Israeli government's decision to "further escalate" the offensive was "wrong" and urged Netanyahu 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," Starmer said.
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. Hamas can play no part in the future of Gaza and must leave as well as disarm.
“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."
Starmer added the prospect of Palestinians and Israelis living peacefully side by side was "vanishing before our eyes".
The Prime Minister added: "Our message is clear: a diplomatic solution is possible, but both parties must step away from the path of destruction.”
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum released a statement which said that the decision to pursue the occupation of the Gaza strip meant "abandoning the hostages, while completely ignoring the repeated warnings from military leadership and the clear will of the majority of the Israeli public.”
Simon Walters, the British Ambassador to Israel, warned that it would be a "huge mistake" for Israel to follow Netanyahu's current plan. He added that the IDF had done all it can do in Gaza and was not going to achieve more by fighting for longer.
