Lammy rows back after saying Israel broke international law in Gaza
Downing Street earlier said Israel was ‘at clear risk of breaching’ its legal obligations rather than having already done so.
The Foreign Secretary has rowed back on his assertion that Israel had broken international law by blocking aid shipments to Gaza.
David Lammy said he “could have been clearer” with his remarks in the House of Commons, which had prompted questions about the UK Government’s position on the matter.
Downing Street earlier said Israel was “at clear risk of breaching” its legal obligations rather than having already done so.
He answered: “Well, my honourable friend is right. This is a breach of international law.
“Israel, quite rightly, must defend its own security, but we find the lack of aid – and it has now been 15 days since aid got into Gaza – unacceptable, hugely alarming and very worrying.”
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman was asked if Mr Lammy’s statement represented the Government’s position.
He said: “Our position remains that Israel’s actions in Gaza are at clear risk of breaching international humanitarian law.
“And we continue to call on the government of Israel to abide by its international obligations when it comes to humanitarian assistance to the population in Gaza.”
On Tuesday, the Foreign Secretary told Bloomberg that he “could have been clearer” in the chamber, when asked if he regretted making the statement.
Mr Lammy described the blockade of aid as “unacceptable” and said assistance must be allowed to flow.
It comes as hospital officials said air strikes overnight had killed at least 413 Palestinians, in a surprise bombardment that shattered the truce in place since January and threatened to fully reignite the 17-month-old war.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the strikes early on Tuesday after Hamas refused Israeli demands to change the ceasefire agreement.
The White House said it had been consulted and voiced support for Israel’s actions.
Over six weeks, Hamas released 25 Israeli hostages and the bodies of eight more in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in a first phase of the ceasefire, but the sides have since been unable to agree on a way forward.
Hamas has demanded an end to the war and full withdrawal of Israeli troops in exchange for the release of the remaining hostages.
Israel wants Hamas to release half of the remaining captives in return for a promise to negotiate a lasting truce and has said it will not end the war until Hamas’s governing and military capabilities are destroyed.
Kristyan Benedict, crisis response manager at the human rights group, said: “The UK must immediately suspend all arms transfers to Israel in compliance with its own arms export rules and international obligations.
“As a matter of urgency, the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court should add genocide to the list of crimes it is investigating.
“No-one should be allowed to commit or facilitate genocide and remain unpunished.”
Meanwhile, Downing Street confirmed the UK had provided support for US strikes against Houthi forces in Yemen through “routine allied air-to-air refuelling”.
The Iran-backed Houthis have been targeting shipping in the Red Sea in retaliation against Israel’s actions in Gaza.
