Call for an immediate ceasefire in Israel and Gaza

The Government must call for a ceasefire on both sides in Israel and Gaza. They must continue to call for the release of hostages, and call for the restoration of water, electricity and fuel to the people of Gaza.

To allow for humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, and the return of sanitation and emergency services to Gaza, thereby saving lives. To aid further diplomatic intervention and the prospective release of hostages, thereby saving lives. To prevent this from escalating into a wider regional conflict, which would have both local and global consequences, thereby saving lives.

The UK wants to bring the Gaza conflict to a sustainable end as quickly as possible.

Israel suffered an appalling terrorist attack on 7 October – the deadliest in its history. It has the right to defend itself in accordance with international humanitarian law. Hamas must release the hostages immediately. It should accept the deal that is on the table to do so.

The situation in Gaza is desperate. Too many Palestinian civilians have been killed and there is an urgent need to get more aid to the people of Gaza.

The fastest way to end the conflict is to secure a deal which gets the hostages out and allows for a pause in the fighting in Gaza. We must then work with our international partners to turn that pause into a sustainable, permanent ceasefire.

The UK is doing all it can to reach a long-term solution to this crisis by: calling for the immediate release of all hostages; continuing to support a deal which would secure a pause in the fighting; pushing as hard as we can to get aid to Palestinian civilians; working with partners to deescalate the situation in the region; and building momentum towards a lasting peace.

Building momentum towards a lasting peace will require the release of all hostages; removing Hamas’s capacity to launch attacks against Israel; Hamas no longer being in charge of Gaza; the formation of a new Palestinian Government for the West Bank and Gaza, accompanied by an international support package; and a political horizon for the Palestinians, providing a credible and irreversible pathway towards a two-state solution.

The UK is playing a leadership role in alleviating the suffering in Gaza. We more than trebled our aid commitment in the 2023-24 financial year and we are doing everything we can to get more aid in as quickly as possible by land, sea and air.

On 17 April we announced the UK is now providing £3 million of additional funding for equipment to support the UN and aid agencies at new and existing land crossings. In recent weeks, the Royal Air Force has conducted eight airdrops into Gaza. In addition, on 6 April, the UK announced a package of support to set up a maritime aid corridor to Gaza. A field hospital, provided by UK Aid funding to UK-Med, is up and running in Gaza and the facility, has already treated thousands of patients.

Israel has now committed to significant steps to increase the amount of aid getting to Gaza. Among other things, this includes approving activation of the Nachal Oz water pipeline to northern Gaza once repairs are completed.

We have seen an encouraging increase in the number of aid trucks getting into Gaza and some WFP food aid has now moved from Ashdod Port into Gaza, but we must see further action to ensure more aid actually gets over the border. Guaranteed deconfliction for aid convoys and other humanitarian work is also essential.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office