Lord Cameron, the new foreign secretary, believes that the temporary pause in fighting between Israel and Hamas presents a crucial opportunity to get hostages out and aid into Gaza. Lord Cameron, who recently landed in Israel, met with officials in Tel Aviv and expressed his hope for progress on the humanitarian pause. The deal, brokered by Qatar, the U.S., and Egypt, aims to bring much-needed respite to the war-weary Palestinians in Gaza and secure the release of hostages held by Hamas. The foreign secretary reiterated his commitment to delivering greater volumes of food, fuel, and life-saving aid to Gaza and expressed his support for a full, negotiated ceasefire on all sides in order to avert further civilian suffering.
During his visit to Israel, Lord Cameron discussed the release of hostages and increasing the amount of aid into Gaza with a delegation of Foreign Ministers from Arab and Islamic countries. He also expressed a desire to see a viable two-state solution that would provide security for Israel and stability for the Palestinian people. In addition, he highlighted the UK’s commitment to doubling its aid for Palestinians and working closely with the UN to ensure it reaches those in need.
The ceasefire agreement is a fragile one, and Lord Cameron urged all parties to deliver on the agreement fully, given the intensity and complexity of the conflict. While Israel has said it will continue to target Hamas in Gaza until the truce is implemented, Amnesty International UK’s chief executive, Sacha Deshmukh, called for a full, negotiated ceasefire on all sides in the interests of averting further civilian suffering for Palestinians and Israelis. Leading up to the ceasefire, the UK committed an additional £20 million in humanitarian aid for civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and reiterated its support for a two-state solution.