London (Parliament Politics Maganize) – Rishi Sunak refrained from confirming UK support for Gaza ceasefire resolution as questioned by the SNP leader during the Prime Minister’s Questions.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has declined to express if the UK would support a draft resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. During Prime Minister’s Questions, he was compelled on the matter by the SNP’s Westminster leader, Stephen Flynn.
The US vetoed a draft Security Council resolution last week. It was the third American veto of a draft resolution since the start of the war. The UK, one of the five permanent Security Council members, has always refrained.
The question came as US President Joe Biden stated he hopes to have a ceasefire in place by Monday. However, Israel has not remarked, and officials from Hamas expressed the two sides are still some distance apart.
Israel’s extensive-scale air and ground drive in Gaza came after Hamas gunmen killed about 1,200 people in southern Israel. The assailants also took 253 people hostage. The health ministry in the Gaza Strip states at least 29,878 people have been killed in the territory since then, with another 70,215 wounded.
In PMQs, Mr Flynn questioned the Prime Minister if he shared the President’s confidence.
Mr. Sunak responded: “We have consistently called for an immediate humanitarian pause which would allow for the safe release of hostages, including British nationals, and more aid to reach Gaza. We welcome progress on a deal.
“As the honorable gentleman said, there has been progress, and we urge everyone on all sides to seize the opportunity.
“And I’ve been clear that we must seize the momentum from this tragedy to find a lasting resolution to this conflict, which delivers on the promise of a two-state solution and ensures that Israelis and Palestinians can live in dignity and security.”
The Aberdeen South MP informed the Commons that Parliament had “equivocated, and this government on three events at the United Nations has abstained when it could have voted for a ceasefire.”
He contended: “Abstentionism is not leadership. So can I ask the Prime Minister, should this matter come before the United Nations with a ceasefire potentially in sight, will he use his government’s vote to deliver that ceasefire?”
The Prime Minister expressed the UK would support the “draft resolution that was discussed with colleagues at United Nations last week, but just calling for an immediate full ceasefire now, which collapses back into fighting within days or weeks and indeed does not release hostages including British hostages is not in anyone’s interest.”
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“We must work towards a permanent ceasefire, which starts with an immediate humanitarian pause to get aid in and hostages out. I agree with the honorable gentleman about the suffering of the people in Gaza and this country; we should be proud of everything we are doing to help them and provide them the life-saving aid that they deserve.”