Thank you to those constituents who have contacted me recently about the crisis in the Middle East.
Like you, I am utterly appalled by what is happening in Gaza. The situation on the ground is shocking and on 22 August the United Nations-backed IPC mechanism confirmed that we are witnessing famine – famine in Gaza city and famine in its surrounding neighbourhoods.
As the Foreign Secretary said recently “This was foreseen: it is the terrible conclusion of the obstacles we have warned about for over six months. Since 1 July, over 300 people have died from malnutrition, including 119 children. More than 132,000 children under the age of five are at risk of dying from hunger by June next year. This is not a natural disaster; it is a man-made famine in the 21st century, and I am outraged by the Israeli Government’s refusal to allow in sufficient aid. We need a massive humanitarian response to prevent more deaths, crucial non-governmental organisations, humanitarians and health workers to be allowed to operate, and stockpiles of aid on Gaza’s borders to be released. In the past three months, more than 2,000 Gazans have been killed trying to feed their families, and Hamas themselves are exploiting the chaos and deliberately starving Israeli hostages for abhorrent political purposes.”
We all know that words of condemnation are not enough, so here are the practical steps that the UK has taken as a country, which I hope you will welcome.
We have demanded an immediate halt to Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
We have been clear that the Israeli government’s failure to allow full humanitarian access to aid workers is abhorrent and that the denial of essential humanitarian aid to the civilian population is unacceptable and risks breaching international law.
We have restored funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.
We have suspended arms export sales that could be used in Gaza.
We have signed a landmark agreement with the Palestinian Authority.
We have stood up for the independence of international courts and the rule of law. In May the UK told the International Court of Justice that Israel must lift its restrictions on humanitarian assistance to Gaza, ensure civilian protection and fully comply with international humanitarian law.
We have condemned the abhorrent language used by members of the Israeli Government and have put in place three sets of sanctions on far-right Israeli Ministers for incitement and on violent settlers.
We have suspended trade negotiations with the Israeli Government.
The UK Government considers Israeli settlements to be illegal under international law. As a result, we have said that goods produced in those settlements are not entitled to benefit from trade and trade preferences under the UK’s current trade agreements with the Palestinian Authority and Israel.
We are at the forefront of the international community’s efforts to plan for a stable, post-conflict peace.
We have now provided more than £250 million in development assistance over the past two years.
We will be bringing critically injured Palestinian children to the UK for treatment.
We have opposed any attempt to expand settlements in the West Bank.
On our ban on arms sales, this includes components (F-16s), parts for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs or drones), naval systems, and targeting equipment. The UK is not therefore sending arms that could be used by Israel in Gaza, but we are sending equipment for civilian use by NGOs and journalists such as body armour. I am quite sure that you would not want us to deny those organisations such equipment so that they themselves are not injured.
On the issue of RAF flights, these are strictly limited to the search for hostages and are not being used in combat operations. These flights do not share intelligence with the Israeli military.
As you know, the UK has consistently called for an immediate ceasefire to end the conflict, get the remaining hostages out and to get in the aid that is desperately needed. A ceasefire is the only way that we can bring this horror to an end.
Most recently, the Prime Minister announced that the UK will formally recognise the state of Palestine this September as a result of the “increasingly intolerable” situation on the ground in Gaza, unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire, allows aid in, and commits to a two-state solution in the Middle East. This is a very significant step and I hope that other countries will follow the lead that France and Britain have now given.
We also, however, need to be honest about what the UK can do on its own. The then Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, said recently that the UK cannot single-handedly force an end to the war. “I wish we could, but the truth is … we are unable to do that just as the United Kingdom. We have to work in partnership with our allies, that is what we have done.“
Finally, I would encourage you to read the statement that was made in the House of. Commons by the Foreign Secretary:
https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/foreign-secretary-statement-on-the-middle-east-21-july-2025
and the statement made at a recent meeting of the UN Security Council on behalf of the UK Government:
Thank you for writing to me about this most important issue.
Best wishes
Rt Hon Hilary Benn
MP for Leeds South
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland