Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said six British citizens were killed and a further 10 are missing after the Hamas attacks in Israel as he acknowledged a “humanitarian crisis is unfolding”.
The Prime Minister told the Commons that more than 1,400 people were murdered, over 3,500 wounded and almost 200 taken hostage in the initial siege by Hamas.
More than 2,700 people in Gaza have been killed in Israel's retaliatory strikes.
Mr Sunak insisted that “responsibility for this act is Hamas and Hamas alone”, but warned “an acute humanitarian crisis is unfolding” in Gaza.
He stressed “we must ensure humanitarian support urgently reaches civilians in Gaza”, amid concerns over civilians being killed in Israel’s retaliation.
The Prime Minister told the Commons: “The attacks in Israel last weekend shocked the world.
“Over 1,400 people murdered one by one, over 3,500 wounded, almost 200 taken hostage.”
He added: “We should call it by its name: it was a pogrom.
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“The families of some of the missing are in the public gallery today. We call for the immediate release of all hostages and I say to them: we stand with you. We stand with Israel.
“The murdered and the missing come from over 30 countries, including the United Kingdom.
“The terrible nature of these attacks means it is proving difficult to identify many of the deceased but with a heavy heart I can inform the House that at least six British citizens were killed.
“A further 10 are missing, some of whom are feared to be among the dead.”
Mr Sunak, addressing the situation of British nationals in Israel, told the Commons: “We’ve organised eight flights so far, bringing out over 500 people, with more flights leaving today.
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“We are working with neighbouring countries on land evacuations for our citizens in Gaza and the West Bank.”
The PM said he has spoken to Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi about “supporting civilians to leave Gaza by the Rafah border crossing”, adding a border force team is in Egypt to help citizens when they are able to cross.”
He told MPs that “Hamas is using innocent Palestinian people as human shields.”
He added: “We mourn the loss of every innocent life, civilians of every faith, every nationality who have been killed.”
Amid British military personnel gathered in the eastern Mediterranean, the Prime Minister said “we are not engaging in fighting or an offensive in Gaza”, but added “we’re increasing our presence to prevent broader regional instability at this dangerous moment”.
Mr Sunak announced further aid for Palestinians.
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He said: “I can announce today that we are increasing our aid by a third with an additional £10 million of support.
“An acute humanitarian crisis is unfolding to which we must respond.
“We must support the Palestinian people because they are victims of Hamas too. Like our allies, we believe that Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people or their legitimate aspirations to live with equal measures of security, freedom, justice, opportunity and dignity.
“Hamas simply does not stand for the future that the Palestinians want and they seek to put the Palestinian people in harm’s way. So we must ensure humanitarian support urgently reaches civilians in Gaza. This requires Egypt and Israel to allow in the aid that is so badly needed.”
The PM added: “We also need to keep the situation in the West Bank in the forefront of our minds at this moment of heightened sensitivity.
“Earlier today I spoke to Mahmoud Abbas, the leader of the Palestinian Authority, to express our support for his efforts to provide stability.”
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer told MPS it was “crucial” the House of Commons speaks “with one voice” in condemnation of terror and in its support for Israel.
He said Hamas “do not wish to see peace in the Middle East”, adding: “But Hamas are not the Palestinian people and the Palestinian people are not Hamas.
“So Labour stands with Israel, Britain stands with Israel. The attack is ongoing, terrorists are at large, hostages are still being held, some of them British citizens.
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“Israel has the right to bring her people home, to defend herself, to keep its people safe.
“And whilst Hamas has the capability to carry out attacks on Israeli territory, there can be no safety.”
The Labour leader has said civilians “must not be targeted” and “innocent lives must be protected”.
Sir Keir added: “Israel’s defence must be conducted in accordance with international law. Civilians must not be targeted, innocent lives must be protected.
"There must be humanitarian corridors, there must be humanitarian access, including food, water, electricity, and medicines, so that hospitals can keep people alive and so that innocent people do not needlessly die."
SNP Westminster leader, Stephen Flynn, labelled the events an “abhorrent terrorist attack by Hamas” and “a crime against our shared humanity”.
But Mr Flynn said the response by the UK Government and other world leaders will “require the opening of humanitarian corridors” and “require medicine, water, electricity, for hospitals”.
He added that there can be “no collective punishment” and called for “international leadership” to alleviate the “humanitarian crisis which is undoubtedly unfolding in Gaza”.
Pressed over concerns Israel’s collective punishment strategy was against international law, the Prime Minister claimed that “of course, Israel will act within international humanitarian law”.
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