‘Urgent action’ needed to avoid famine in Gaza, says Rishi Sunak

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

“Urgent action” is needed to avoid the outbreak of famine in Gaza, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said.

Mr Sunak’s comments came in response to Labour MP Sir Mark Hendrick (Preston) who said Israel was “using starvation as a weapon of war” in the Gaza strip.

A report from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has warned that “famine is imminent” in northern Gaza, where an estimated 70% of the population faces catastrophic hunger.

It says virtually everyone in the region is struggling to get enough food, and warned that if Israel broadens its offensive to the packed southern city of Rafah, around half of Gaza’s total population of 2.3 million would be driven into catastrophic hunger.

Mr Sunak insisted the UK was doing all it could to prevent this.

Sir Mark told the Commons: “The EU foreign policy high representative Josep Borrell said on Monday that Israel is provoking famine in Gaza and using starvation as a weapon of war.

“President Biden has said that there should be no attack on Rafah without a plan to ensure the safety of more than one million people living there.

“Does the Prime Minister agree with High Representative Borrell and President Biden? Because I do and we need a ceasefire. If he does agree, would he say so here in the chamber today?”

The Prime Minister replied: “The findings from the IPC are gravely concerning. It is clear that the status quo is unsustainable and we need urgent action now to avoid a famine.

“The UK is doing all it can to get more aid in and prevent a worsening crisis: 2,000 tonnes of UK-funded food aid, including flour and hot meals, is being distributed by the World Food Programme in Gaza today as we speak, enough to feed more than 275,000 people, and we will continue to do everything we can to alleviate the suffering that people are experiencing.”

Later in the session Mr Sunak maintained that Israel is “committed and capable of complying” with international humanitarian law.

Labour MP Andy Slaughter (Hammersmith) said: “We know the Prime Minister has received advice about the legality of the Israel/Gaza war, that he’s had time to consider it, that Government can and do publish such advice.

“So will he tell the House what steps he is taking to act on that advice in reviewing UK arms sales, in supporting proceedings in the ICJ (International Court of Justice) and ICC, and in exercising the UK vote in the UN security council?”

Mr Sunak replied: “We continue to call for Israel to respect international humanitarian law and for civilians to be protected.

“Too many civilians have been killed and we want to see Israel limit its operations to military targets. These are points that both I and the Foreign Secretary have repeatedly made to Prime Minister Netanyahu.

“We have previously assessed that Israel is committed and capable of complying with international humanitarian law and of course we always keep this under review.”

Labour MP Tahir Ali (Birmingham, Hall Green) asked if the Prime Minister would “join the 138 United Nation member states and recognise the state of Palestine?”

In his reply Mr Sunak stated: “Our position has been consistently clear that we will recognise the state of Palestine when it makes most beneficial sense for the overall peace process.”