Ceasefire in Gaza

Earlier this week, I spoke in Parliament to welcome the fragile ceasefire in Gaza. After months of devastating violence and unimaginable human suffering, this is a vital first step towards a lasting peace and a two-state solution. But it cannot be allowed to falter.

Too many lives have already been lost. This ceasefire must be maintained, not as a pause before more fighting, but as the foundation for a political process that finally delivers security and dignity for both Israelis and Palestinians.

That’s why I was deeply alarmed to hear reports of more Palestinian civilians being killed by Israeli troops near the ceasefire line, and of Hamas’s grotesque public executions. Every act of violence now risks unravelling the first real opportunity for peace in years. All sides must meet their obligations under the ceasefire agreement.

In the debate, I made clear that the UK must play its full part in supporting this fragile process. We must use our diplomatic influence to ensure aid gets in, hostages are returned, and both sides are held accountable for their actions.

A permanent peace will take courage and compromise from all sides. But this ceasefire, fragile as it is, offers a rare moment of hope, and we cannot let it slip away.