Starmer, Lammy Slam Israel’s Gaza Offensive as “Intolerable”

The UK has reached a breaking point with Israel over its Gaza offensive, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Foreign Secretary David Lammy expressing raw anger in Parliament. Starmer called the suffering, particularly among Gaza’s children, “intolerable,” dismissing Israel’s allowance of limited aid as “utterly inadequate.” Lammy branded the situation “abominable,” condemning Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s call to “cleanse” Gaza’s civilians as “monstrous” and warning that Israel’s actions are alienating global allies.

The UK’s fury aligns with international outrage. A joint UK-France-Canada statement condemned Israel’s military escalation, threatening “further concrete actions” if Gaza’s humanitarian crisis worsens. The EU, backed by foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, is reviewing its 25-year-old trade agreement with Israel. Additionally, 27 donor nations, including the UK, rejected Israel’s new aid delivery model, which seeks to replace UN agencies with civilian contractors backed by the Israeli military. Aid workers and a Western diplomat in Haaretz slammed the plan as “premature” and “absolute madness,” citing no evidence for Israel’s claims of Hamas diverting aid.

In a fiery House of Commons debate, Lammy clashed with Conservative MP Dame Priti Patel, who suggested criticism of Israel benefits Hamas. Lammy accused her of ignoring Gaza’s reality. Labour MPs pushed for recognizing Palestine, but the government views this as symbolic without broader peace efforts, though France’s potential move next month may shift the calculus.

Israel’s offensive, dubbed “Gideon’s Chariots,” follows Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack, which killed 1,200 and took 251 hostages. Gaza’s health ministry reports 53,475 deaths since. Even US President Donald Trump, wrapping up a regional tour, warned of starvation, while World Jewish Congress president Ronald Lauder criticized Smotrich’s rhetoric for tarnishing Israel’s image. Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar offered only a curt “duly noted” in response.