Foreign Secretary David Lammy has expressed being 'appalled, sickened' by what he called the 'grotesque' targeting of starving Palestinians seeking food by the Israeli military. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Lammy said the UK would impose further sanctions if the war in Gaza did not end soon.
Israel launched air raids and a ground operation in Deir al-Balah, the main humanitarian hub, over the weekend. Gaza's civil defence agency reported at least 93 Palestinians killed by Israeli fire while queueing for food, marking the highest death toll in almost two years.
Lammy insisted that no UK arms licences could be used in Gaza and that RAF surveillance flights do not share intelligence with the Israeli military. He said he deeply regretted that the UK could not unilaterally end the war, but stressed the need to work with allies.
The UK, alongside 27 other countries including Australia, Canada, and France, condemned Israel for depriving Palestinians of 'human dignity' and called for lifting restrictions on aid. Rights groups like Amnesty International dismissed the statement as 'empty words' and urged halting all arms exports, including components for F-35 jets.
Lammy defended his record, saying the UK government has done more than most to push for an end to the conflict. He warned that if the war continues, there will be more sanctions. On ITV's Good Morning Britain, he said: 'There will be more, clearly, and we keep all of those options under consideration.'
