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| Israel Gaza: Lord Cameron supports 'sustainable ceasefire' and warns over deaths | Israel Gaza: Lord Cameron supports 'sustainable ceasefire' and warns over deaths |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The foreign secretary has said he would like to see a "sustainable ceasefire" in the Israel-Gaza conflict. | The foreign secretary has said he would like to see a "sustainable ceasefire" in the Israel-Gaza conflict. |
| Lord Cameron also warned "too many civilians have been killed" in Gaza. | Lord Cameron also warned "too many civilians have been killed" in Gaza. |
| More than 18,000 people have been killed, including thousands of children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. | More than 18,000 people have been killed, including thousands of children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. |
| His intervention in a Sunday Times article marks a shift in tone from the UK government, but stops short of calling for an immediate ceasefire. | His intervention in a Sunday Times article marks a shift in tone from the UK government, but stops short of calling for an immediate ceasefire. |
| Penning a joint article with Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, Lord Cameron said he supported a ceasefire only if it was sustainable in the long term. | Penning a joint article with Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, Lord Cameron said he supported a ceasefire only if it was sustainable in the long term. |
| He said: "Our goal cannot simply be an end to fighting today. It must be peace lasting for days, years, generations. | He said: "Our goal cannot simply be an end to fighting today. It must be peace lasting for days, years, generations. |
| "We therefore support a ceasefire, but only if it is sustainable." | "We therefore support a ceasefire, but only if it is sustainable." |
| On Tuesday, the UK and Germany abstained over a United Nations resolution, backed by 153 countries, demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza. | On Tuesday, the UK and Germany abstained over a United Nations resolution, backed by 153 countries, demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza. |
| "We do not believe that calling right now for a general and immediate ceasefire, hoping it somehow becomes permanent, is the way forward," Lord Cameron wrote, seeking to explain the UK's decision. | |
| "Would Hamas stop firing rockets? Would it release the hostages... an unsustainable ceasefire, quickly collapsing into further violence, would only make it harder to build the confidence needed for peace." | "Would Hamas stop firing rockets? Would it release the hostages... an unsustainable ceasefire, quickly collapsing into further violence, would only make it harder to build the confidence needed for peace." |
| Instead the UK and Germany are pushing for further humanitarian pauses to get more aid in and more hostages out. | Instead the UK and Germany are pushing for further humanitarian pauses to get more aid in and more hostages out. |
| Palestinians inspect damage in the northern Gaza on Saturday | Palestinians inspect damage in the northern Gaza on Saturday |
| Lord Cameron's comments amplify Rishi Sunak's line set out at Wednesday's Prime Minister's Questions. | |
| "We have been consistent that what we support is a sustainable ceasefire, which means Hamas must stop launching rockets into Israel and release all the hostages," Mr Sunak said. | |
| Appearing on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden said: "In order for a ceasefire to be sustainable, we have to ensure we remove the threat of Hamas from Israel... | |
| "So, that's why we continue to support Israel in its right to self-defence, to remove the threat of Hamas, and at the same time to get those hostages back." | |
| Asked if he thought Israel had gone too far, Mr Dowden said: "I wouldn't characterise it as Israel going too far. Israel is dealing with a very difficult situation." | |
| He said the UK continued to urge Israel to exercise restraint but added: "If you're going after an enemy that literally hides underneath hospitals, hides amongst the civilian population, you are going to sustain high levels of civilian casualties." | |
| The offensive into Gaza, triggered by Hamas's deadly 7 October attack on Israel which killed 1,200 people, has led to vast areas of the territory being flattened. | The offensive into Gaza, triggered by Hamas's deadly 7 October attack on Israel which killed 1,200 people, has led to vast areas of the territory being flattened. |
| In a sign attitudes are shifting, in the article, the UK and German foreign ministers warned that Israel "should do more to discriminate sufficiently between terrorists and civilians". | |
| They also said more aid must reach Gaza, amid warnings from the United Nations of a humanitarian catastrophe due to widespread shortages of basic supplies. | |
| Israel's main ally the US has also expressed unease over the failure of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's administration to reduce civilian casualties. | |
| Deflecting that pressure on Saturday, Mr Netanyahu said: "Military pressure is necessary both for the return of the hostages and for victory. Without military pressure... we have nothing." | Deflecting that pressure on Saturday, Mr Netanyahu said: "Military pressure is necessary both for the return of the hostages and for victory. Without military pressure... we have nothing." |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| David Cameron | David Cameron |
| Israel-Gaza war | Israel-Gaza war |
| Germany | Germany |
| Gaza | Gaza |