Global condemnation has been growing over Israel’s blockade of most aid with reports of starvation and widespread malnutrition in Gaza
Keir Starmer has confirmed the government will be “taking forward” plans to airdrop aid into Gaza and evacuate children who need medical assistance in an effort to relieve what Downing Street called an appalling situation.
“The appalling scenes in Gaza are unrelenting. The continued captivity of hostages, the starvation and denial of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, the increasing violence from extremist settler groups, and Israel’s disproportionate military escalation in Gaza are all indefensible. Alongside our closest allies, I am working on a pathway to peace in the region, focused on the practical solutions that will make a real difference to the lives of those that are suffering in this war. That pathway will set out the concrete steps needed to turn the ceasefire so desperately needed, into a lasting peace,” Starmer said.
Speaking to the French president, Emmanuel Macron, and the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, on Saturday morning, the prime minister outlined the UK’s intentions to work with Jordan to carry out the plans.
The three leaders agreed to work closely together on a plan to “pave the way to a long-term solution and security in the region”.
A No 10 spokesperson said: “The three leaders talked about the situation in Gaza, which they agreed is appalling, and emphasised the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire, for Israel to lift all restrictions on aid and urgently provide those suffering in Gaza with the food they so desperately need. The prime minister set out how the UK will also be taking forward plans to work with partners such as Jordan to airdrop aid and evacuate children requiring medical assistance. They all agreed it would be vital to ensure robust plans are in place to turn an urgently needed ceasefire into lasting peace. They discussed their intention to work closely together on a plan, building on their collaboration to date, which would pave the way to a long-term solution and security in the region.”
The move follows after more than a third of MPs have signed a letter to Starmer calling for the UK to recognise a Palestinian state. Some 220 MPs from nine political parties have backed the call – more than half of them Labour – arguing that UK recognition would send a “powerful” message and a vital step toward a two-state solution.
The letter piles pressure on the prime minister after France committed to recognising a Palestinian statehood within months.
Global condemnation has been growing over Israel’s blockade of most aid with reports of starvation and widespread malnutrition in Gaza. Health officials in the strip recorded 43 deaths from hunger over three days this week. There had previously been 68 in total.
Médecins Sans Frontières said on Friday that the severe malnutrition rate among children aged under five at its Gaza City clinic had tripled in the last two weeks. The Guardian reported this week that skeletal children were filling hospital wards, and the head of the UN Relief and Works Agency (Unrwa) said his frontline staff were fainting from hunger.
The UK joined 27 other countries in issuing a joint statement earlier this week condemning Israel for depriving Palestinians of “human dignity” as they issued a call for the immediate lifting of restrictions on the flow of aid and an end to the war in Gaza.
They also described proposals by the Israeli defence minister, Israel Katz, to move 600,000 Palestinians to a so-called “humanitarian city” in Rafah, an area that has been heavily damaged by Israeli bombing, as “completely unacceptable”.
The Israeli foreign ministry rejected the joint statement hours later, saying it was “disconnected from reality”.
David Mencer, an Israeli government spokesperson said on Wednesday: “There is no famine in Gaza. There is a famine of the truth.” The Israeli military announced on Saturday it would start airdrops with humanitarian aid in Gaza, and humanitarian corridors would also be established for UN convoys. The military also said it was prepared to implement “humanitarian pauses” in densely populated areas.
It had said on Friday that it had agreed to let Jordan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) airdrop aid into Gaza. Each flight carrying aid is far more expensive and holds fewer supplies than lorries do. The UAE’s foreign minister on Saturday said the country would resume aid drops over Gaza “immediately” citing the “critical” humanitarian situation.
“The humanitarian situation in Gaza has reached a critical and unprecedented level,” sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan said in a post on X. “We will ensure essential aid reaches those most in need, whether through land, air or sea. Air drops are resuming once more, immediately.”
