Lammy says Israel breaking international law with blockade of Gaza aid
Foreign Secretary also condemns 'horrendous' spectacle of Israeli hostages being released surrounded by 'hooded young men with Kalashnikovs'
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Israel is breaking international law by stopping aid into Gaza, foreign secretary David Lammy has claimed.
Appearing in the Commons Lammy said that while Israel “quite rightly must defend its own security”, the ongoing blockade of goods and supplies to the strip was a “breach of international law”.
But the foreign secretary also condemned the “horrendous” spectacle of Israeli hostages being released surrounded by “hooded young men with Kalashnikovs”.
He said on Monday:”I think it’s horrendous that when one looks at the scenes of those hostages coming out that, among those hooded young men with Kalashnikovs, are children. This cannot be right or proper.
“At the same time it cannot be right to starve children of the humanitarian aid, the medical supplies that they need at this time whilst we seek to deal with the problems of Hamas and get those hostages out.”
Lammy said that the two-week long blockade of food, fuel and medicine imposed by Israel on Gaza was “appalling and unacceptable”.
Asked by Labour MP Rupa Huq what the “consequences” would be for Israel’s “provocative action” during the holy month of Ramadan, Lammy suggested international law was being breached.
“Well, my honourable friend is right,” he said. “This is a breach of international law.
“Israel quite rightly must defend its own security but we find the lack of aid – it’s now been 15 days since aid got into Gaza – unacceptable, hugely alarming and very worrying.
“We would urge Israel to get back to the amount of trucks that we were seeing going in, way beyond 600, so that Palestinians can get the necessary humanitarian support they need at this time.”
The Israeli foreign ministry has insisted there is “no shortage of essential products in the strip whatsoever”.
Jeremy Corbyn, the former Labour leader, then urged Lammy to accuse Israel of acting “illegally” and “in breach of international law”.
Lammy responded: “I did say in my contribution that it is in breach of international humanitarian law.”
Appearing on LBC, David Mencer, a spokesperson for Israel said:”There is no shortage of food and medical supplies in Gaza.”
Mencer also said ceasing electricty supplies into Gaza was a “lawful measure to put pressure on Hamas into releasing our hostages.”
He added:”The only humanitarean suffering Gaza is that of Israeli hostages.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the decision to stop aid going into Gaza after Hamas rejected an Israeli request to extend the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire.
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