“These are incredibly dark days for humanity, with so many lives already lost."
Over 35 MPs from a wide range of parties are calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities to protect civilians in Gaza and Israel.
The MPs have backed a new parliamentary motion, EDM 1685: Protecting civilians in Gaza and Israel, put forward by Richard Burgon MP. The number of signatories is expected to rise throughout the day.
The motion expresses its support for the call from leading humanitarian agencies – including Oxfam, Christian Aid, CAFOD, Medical Aid for Palestinians and Islamic Relief – for immediate action to prevent any more civilian loss of life.
It also calls on the UK Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary to urgently press all parties to agree to an immediate de-escalation and cessation of hostilities, for the release of the Israeli hostages, an end to the total siege of Gaza and for unfettered access of lifesaving humanitarian aid, for international humanitarian law to be upheld and for civilians to be protected in accordance with those laws.
Richard Burgon MP said: “These are incredibly dark days for humanity, with so many lives already lost.
“Preventing the death of any more civilians must be our top priority. That means we need an immediate ceasefire.
“The UN General Secretary has called for this. It is crucial that political leaders across the world, including our own, back that call to avoid the loss of any more civilian lives.”
The call for the ceasefire comes after a strike on the Al-Ahli al-Arabi Hospital in the north of the Gaza Strip that killed hundreds and which was “unprecedented in scale,” the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday, condemning the attack.
Palestinian officials have pointed the finger at Israel for the attack, but Israel says the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) group was responsible for the blast.
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