A calamitous incident claimed the lives of six British nationals during a terrifying assault in Israel by Hamas, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has affirmed. In addition to this tragic loss, approximately 10 more Britons remain unaccounted for.
Troubled by the act of violence, Prime Minister Sunak condemned it as a “pogrom”, reinforcing the United Kingdom’s unwavering support for Israel’s innate right for self-defence. As these words left his lips, the families of the unaccounted victims in the parliament galleries looked on in sombre anticipation.
Prime Minister Sunak subsequently announced an increase of UK’s humanitarian aid commitment to the Palestinian people by £10m. He revisited the dreadful memory of the previous weekend’s Hamas attack, recounting the devastation it inflicted on varied sections of the Israeli society, including the elderly, men, women, children, and newborns.
A “pogrom” he reiterated, highlighting it a term historically linked with violent and organized attacks against Jews in Eastern Europe, prior to World War Two.
The current crisis prompted the UK to arrange eight flights, safely evacuating 500 British citizens from the volatile region, with more departures expected imminently, Sunak informed the MPs. Affirming that the UK stood firmly with Israel, he expressed solidarity to the anxious families of the missing persons spectating from the gallery.
Prime Minister Sunak disclosed that the UK had approached Egypt to open the Rafah crossing on the Egypt-Gaza border, a move anticipated with hope by Palestinians gathered in the southern Gaza Strip region. A week earlier, Hamas members infiltrated Israel and launched deadly attacks killing more than 1400 people.
The conflict escalated with more than 2,700 people falling victim in Gaza to retaliatory strikes by Israel. The access of basic supplies, including fuel, water, food, and medical supplies to the region, has been hampered by Israel’s blockade.
Among the missing are two British teenage sisters simply known as Yahel, aged 13, and Noiya, age 16, whose whereabouts following the previous weekend’s attacks remains unknown.
In the aftermath of the disastrous events, additional government funding has been redirected to ensure increased protection of Jewish institutions within the UK. This action closely follows a significant surge in antisemitic incidents reported in London since the onset of the Hamas attacks on Israel.
Expressing his deep disapproval over such incidents, Sunak reassured the British public, “We are doing everything we can to protect you.” He further condemned the actions of Hamas, stating that its volatile actions were more than a mere atrocity, they were an existential threat to Israel as a secure homeland for the Jewish people.
In a direct address to the British Muslim community, Sunak acknowledged their fear about the potential retaliation by Israel in Gaza. “Hamas is using innocent Palestinian people as human shields,” he expressed, mourning the lost lives of innocent civilians, regardless of faith or nationality.
The additional £10m in humanitarian aid will be directed towards aid initiatives within the Occupied Palestinian Territories. This comes on top of the existing £27m funding already set aside this year – a necessary response to the acute humanitarian crisis. “They are victims of Hamas too,” Sunak added.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer stressed upon the necessity of ensuring civilian safety, and the urgency in opening humanitarian corridors for the much-needed supply of food, water, and electricity to the Gaza Strip.
Both Sunak and Sir Keir held steadfast to the UK’s enduring foreign policy – a call for a two-state solution involving the establishment of independent Israeli and Palestinian states. However, this proposal didn’t escape criticism in Parliament, with both Labour MP Richard Burgon and Conservative MP Crispin Blunt condemning the Israeli government’s domination of Gaza as “collective punishment” of the Palestinian people. “A heinous act of terrorism” was how MP Burgon described Hamas’s attack in Israel.
