Sir Keir Starmer has refused to say whether Israel is committing genocide in Gaza following warnings from a top UN official.
Tom Fletcher, head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, warned the body’s security council last week that it must “act now” to “prevent genocide” – a claim that Israel has vehemently denied.
He also accused Israel of “deliberately and unashamedly” imposing inhumane conditions on Palestinians by blocking aid from entering Gaza more than 10 weeks ago.
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Palestinians flee their homes after the Israeli military issued an evacuation order from eastern Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. Pic: PA
On Monday, following pressure from some of its allies, Israel agreed to allow limited deliveries to resume.
The decision means 20 aid trucks carrying mostly food will enter Gaza following a three-month blockade that prompted multiple warnings of starvation and famine in the Palestinian territory.
Under the Genocide Convention, genocide refers to acts committed with the “intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group”.
It can include killing members of the group, causing serious bodily or mental harm, and inflicting conditions that bring about its physical destruction.
Israel has repeatedly denied accusations of genocide, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu branding a recent UN report on the issue biased and antisemitic.
“Instead of focusing on the crimes against humanity and war crimes committed by the Hamas terrorist organisation… the United Nations once again chooses to attack the state of Israel with false accusations,” he said in a statement.
Asked by Sky News’ political editor Beth Rigby whether he believed a genocide was taking place in Gaza, Sir Keir Starmer did not directly answer.
Instead the prime minister said there was a “really serious, unacceptable, intolerable situation” unfolding in the territory.
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Sir Keir’s words were echoed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who was speaking alongside the PM at a news conference in London to mark the new UK-EU trade deal.
She also said the humanitarian situation in Gaza was “unacceptable” as she urged for the blockade on Gaza to be “lifted now”.
In a video statement posted to social media on Monday, Mr Netanyahu said he was allowing limited aid into Gaza because Israel’s “greatest friends in the world” – whom he did not specify – had threatened to withdraw support for his country.
He said a “starvation crisis” would jeopardise Israel’s new offensive against Hamas in Gaza, and a “basic” amount of food would be allowed in.
At the same time, Israel has ramped up its offensive in Gaza after Mr Netanyahu announced plans to seize all of the territory and hold it indefinitely.
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Israeli officials have said the plan – which would move Gaza’s civilian population southward – will help it achieve its aim of defeating Hamas after the group’s attack on 7 October 2023 which saw 1,200 people killed and about 250 taken hostage.
Israel also believes the offensive will prevent Hamas from looting and distributing humanitarian aid, which it says strengthens the group’s rule in Gaza.
The UN has rejected the plan – which it said would mean aid is distributed in hubs – saying it was “in contravention of globally-established humanitarian principles” and raised the chance of aid “not getting through to the most vulnerable people”.
On Monday, the Israeli military issued an evacuation order for residents of Gaza’s second-largest city, Khan Younis, and nearby towns, warning that the entire area “will be considered a dangerous combat zone”.
Gaza’s health ministry says more than 53,000 people have died in Israel’s 19-month campaign, although it does not distinguish between civilians and militants. It reported 464 people had died in Israeli military strikes in the week to Sunday.
