Prime Minister demands immediate release of hostages held by Hamas
As the war in Gaza reignites following the expiration of a week-long truce, Rishi Sunak has called for the release of all women and children held by Hamas. The Prime Minister expressed his disappointment at the collapse of the truce but expressed hope that mediation efforts led by Qatar could resume.
UK plans to explore alternative aid delivery routes to Gaza
During a press conference at the Cop28 climate summit in Dubai, Sunak also revealed the UK's plans to investigate alternative routes for delivering aid to Gaza. He emphasized that the current amount of aid reaching Gaza, particularly through the Rafah and other border crossings, is insufficient.
Israel resumes combat operations following ceasefire break
Israel restarted combat operations in the Gaza Strip immediately after the temporary truce expired, blaming Hamas for breaking the ceasefire. While supporting Israel's right to defend itself, Sunak called on the country to take maximum care in protecting civilian life and endorsed civilian protection plans put forth by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Efforts to protect civilians and deliver aid a consistent theme
Sunak emphasized that the need to protect civilians has been a recurring topic in his discussions with regional leaders at the Dubai summit. He reiterated the importance of designated safe areas and the protection of critical infrastructure such as water supplies and hospitals. Additionally, he welcomed the pause in fighting to facilitate the release of hostages and highlighted the UK's increased aid to Gaza, while acknowledging that more needs to be done to ensure sufficient aid delivery.
