Scottish Labour’s MPs will not back calls for a ceasefire in Gaza, despite Anas Sarwar’s claim that this is the “only way we can see a safe, secure and free Palestine and a safe, secure and free Israel."

In a letter to Stephen Flynn, the SNP’s leader at Westminster, Ian Murray and Michael Shanks said they would start “with what is possible” and back their party’s call for a “full, comprehensive and immediate humanitarian pause in the fighting across the whole of Gaza now.”

READ MORE: EXPLAINED: Gaza ceasefire vote: When is it? How will it work? Will it pass?

The votes will come tonight at the end of the debate on the King’s Speech. Both Labour and the SNP have tabled amendments.

While Labour’s criticises Israel’s conduct and the lack of aid getting into Gaza, it stops short of calling for a ceasefire.

The SNP amendment — which is also backed by MPs from other parties and which is likely, though not guaranteed, to be selected by the Speaker — will ask the Commons to vote for the government to “join with the international community in urgently pressing all parties to agree to an immediate ceasefire”.

Labour MPs have been told to abstain if the SNP amendment is selected by the Speaker.

However, it's thought dozens of Labour MPs and at least 18 members of the frontbench could rebel.

In an open letter to MPs, Mr Flynn urged them to “show moral leadership.”

Replying, the two Scottish Labour MPs said their party’s amendment “sets out what can realistically be achieved in the short term to halt the humanitarian crisis we are witnessing.”

They said the motion acknowledges that while humanitarian pauses are not perfect, “they are the possible and necessary first step to an enduring cessation of hostilities and a credible, diplomatic, and political process to deliver the lasting peace of a two-state solution.”

The Herald:

Mr Shanks and Mr Murray added: “We all want the violence to end but we must create the conditions on the ground to make that happen. We must help create those conditions so that both sides comply. That starts with what is possible.”

READ MORE: Keir Starmer set to face biggest rebellion of leadership

They warned that any ceasefire could only work if both Israel and Hamas agreed.

“Hamas has publicly declared they would repeat 7 October attacks ‘again and again’ and Israel will not countenance any cessation of the violence until all hostages are returned. For any ceasefire to work, both sides would need to comply.

“The reality is that neither the long-term security of Israel nor long-term justice for Palestine can be delivered by bombs and bullets but through a political settlement.

“As you know, in these situations of grave international crisis parliament is at its best when we work together to find common solutions and speak with one voice. We must scrutinise, press, push and demand that the government does more and then does more still to find a way of bringing this war and suffering to an end.”

Last month, In a video post on social media, Mr Sarwar said too many innocent lives have been lost.

The Scottish Labour leader said: “We are all so desperate for peace and are desperate to see the end of violence.

“And that is why we need to see the immediate release of hostages, immediate access to humanitarian supplies, food, medicine, electricity, water, into Gaza, the immediate cessation of violence, with an end of rocket fire into and out of Gaza.

"And let me be clear, that means a ceasefire right now.

"That’s the only way we can see a safe, secure and free Palestine and a safe, secure and free Israel."

Speaking during Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Flynn said MPs should be given a free vote on the ceasefire.

He told the Commons: “In 2010, the then prime minister and now Foreign Secretary David Cameron said that people in Gaza are living under constant attacks and pressure in an open air prison, does the current Prime Minister not agree that if there is not an immediate ceasefire then all of us in this chamber will be watching on as that open air prison is turned into a graveyard?”

He added: “How much worse does it need to get, 4,609 children are already dead in Gaza, babies in the neo-natal intensive care unit are dying because they don’t have access to oxygen.

“For members across the House this is a question of values and it is a question of conscience. So, does the Prime Minister not agree that should there be a vote on an immediate ceasefire that members across the House should be afforded a free vote?”

In response, Mr Sunak said: “We’re doing everything we can to get aid into the region and we have repeatedly and consistently called for humanitarian pauses to get aid in and to get hostages and those that need to get out, foreign nationals, as quickly as possible.”

READ MORE: Labour in bid to see off ceasefire rebellion

The Israel-Hamas war was also raised during Prime Minister's Questions by Alba MP Neale Hanvey. 

He asked Mr Sunak: “This is a question of humanity and morality. The Prime Minister has an opportunity to lead the calls for peace or endorse death, violence and destruction. Which will he choose?”

The Prime Minister responded: “I think that’s an extremely naïve and simplistic way to look at the problem.

“What he failed to mention in his question was the fact that a proscribed terrorist organisation perpetrated an awful, awful attack on over a thousand individuals and Israel has every right to defend itself in those circumstances and people in their country would expect nothing less for them to provide security for their citizens.

“Now of course, alongside that, they must abide by international law and we will do everything we can as I have said to make sure that aid flows in and provides alleviation to the suffering that the people in Gaza are seeing.”