David Lammy warns of ‘dangerous moment for Middle East’ as he visits Israel to press for ceasefire

Foreign Secretary David Lammy will visit Israel to call for a ceasefire in the war in Gaza, as part of an attempt to stop the situation in the Middle East “spiralling out of control”.

In the first joint UK-France visit to the region in more than a decade, Mr Lammy and French foreign minister Stephane Sejourne will also visit the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

The pair, who will meet Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz and minister of strategic affairs Ron Dermer, said they will stress “there is no time for delays or excuses from all parties on a ceasefire deal”.

The foreign secretary said the trip is a vital opportunity to “end the current destructive cycle of retaliatory violence”, calling for all parties to engage seriously in the negotiations.

Mediating parties have been attempting to secure an agreement for a three-phase plan in which Hamas would release a number of hostages captured in the 7 October attack in exchange for a lasting ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

The news comes just hours after Israeli settlers launched an attack on a village in the West Bank, killing at least one Palestinian - the latest in a series of attacks by settlers in the region.

Israeli settlers, some wearing masks, attacked the village, burning cars and houses in Jit, near the city of Nablus.

Speaking ahead of the trip, Mr Lammy said: “This is a dangerous moment for the Middle East. The risk of the situation spiralling out of control is rising. Any Iranian attack would have devastating consequences for the region.

“The UK and France are united in our commitment to secure a lasting peace for Israelis, Palestinians and the wider region. There can be no delays or excuses. All parties must engage seriously in negotiations on a ceasefire deal.

“This is a vital opportunity to secure the release of hostages and an immediate surge in aid into Gaza.

“Only with diplomacy can we end the current destructive cycle of retaliatory violence. Only with diplomacy can we deliver long-term peace and security for all. That is the message we will be taking with us to the region.”

Three senior Iranian officials this week told Reuters that only a ceasefire deal in Gaza would prevent the country from launching direct retaliation against Israel for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on its soil.

Iran has vowed a severe response, blaming Israel for the assassination, which took place as Haniyeh visited Tehran in July. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied its involvement.

This week, officials from the US, Qatar and Egypt are to meet an Israeli delegation in Qatar for renewed negotiations.

Hamas is yet to confirm whether it will be participating after accusing Israel of adding new demands to a previous proposal that had US and international support.

According to the Gazan health ministry, more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s offensive, which has also wounded 92,401 people and displaced more than 85 per cent of the population from their homes.

Escalating tensions have raised fears of all-out war in the region as fire is regularly exchanged between Lebanon-backed Hezbollah and the Israeli military.

Israeli forces have regularly targeted mosques, schools, hospitals and cemeteries in Gaza where it claims fighters or tunnels are located, often causing civilian casualties.

The fighting has also resulted in the deaths of 329 Israeli soldiers.

Mr Sejourne said: “It’s never too late for peace. We must at all costs avoid a regional war, which would have terrible consequences. We must secure a ceasefire agreement and the release of all the hostages.

“France and the United Kingdom support the efforts of the American, Egyptian and Qatari mediators to achieve this.”

He said: “We have been mobilised for several weeks to call on all parties to show restraint and responsibility. Any miscalculation in the current situation could provoke a generalised conflagration.”