UK shocked by Gaza bloodshed, appalled by killing of aid staff: Sunak

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
7 Apr 2024 05:04

The British Prime Minister stresses that aid must be flooded into Gaza.

Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak addresses the media at Downing Street in London, Friday, March 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Saturday said the "terrible" war in Gaza "must end" but reiterated his support for what he called "Israel's right to defeat the threat from Hamas."

In a statement, he said that Israeli captives held by the Palestinian Resistance in Gaza "must be released," stressing that aid to Gaza "which we have been straining every sinew to deliver by land, air and sea" must be flooded in.

Sunak said the children of Gaza needed a "humanitarian pause immediately, leading to a long-term sustainable ceasefire," adding that this "is the fastest way to get hostages out and aid in, and to stop the fighting and loss of life."

The UK Prime Minister said that "the whole of the UK is shocked by the bloodshed, and appalled by the killing of brave British heroes who were bringing food to those in need."

The British government on Friday called for "utmost transparency" and a "wholly independent review" into the killing of seven aid workers from the World Central Kitchen in an Israeli air strike in Gaza.

The deaths have heaped pressure on the UK government to suspend arms export licenses to "Israel". According to arms control groups, London has approved more than £487 million ($614 million) of weapons sales to "Israel" since 2015 in so-called single-issue licenses.

Over 600 lawyers co-signed an open letter to the British government to suspend weapons export licenses that permit their sale from UK-based companies to "Israel", warning that the government is violating international law by perpetually arming the Israeli occupation entity.

The British government, meanwhile, said a Royal Navy ship would be deployed to help get more aid into Gaza. Alongside the deployment, Britain also announced a £9.7 million ($12.25 million) package for aid deliveries, logistical expertise and equipment support for a humanitarian corridor in the eastern Mediterranean between Cyprus and Gaza.

Foreign Secretary David Cameron said Britain and its allies needed to “explore all options” including sea and air deliveries to "ease the desperate plight of some of the world’s most vulnerable people" in the Gaza Strip.