Israel-Gaza war: Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar heaps pressure on Sir Keir Starmer by calling for ceasefire between Israel and Hamas

The Scottish Labour leader called for “an immediate cessation of violence”

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has called for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, adding further pressure on Sir Keir Starmer to call for an end to the violence.

In a video on social media, he said: “We are all so desperate for peace and are desperate to see the end of violence.

“And that is why we need to see the immediate release of hostages, immediate access to humanitarian supplies, food, medicine, electricity, water, into Gaza…

Anas Sarwar has called for a ceasefire. Photo: Jane Barlow/PA Wire

“The immediate cessation of violence, with an end of rocket fire into and out of Gaza. And let me be clear, that means a ceasefire right now.”

The UK Government is continuing to resist calls for a ceasefire.

Israel has only in recent days agreed to allow aid in through the crossing having besieged the Hamas-ruled area, preventing essentials such as water, food and fuel from reaching more than two million Palestinians.

More than 80 MPs and have urged the Government to call for a cessation of violence.

And London Mayor Sadiq Khan has joined Mr Sarwar to become the latest senior Labour figures to announce they were also calling for a ceasefire.

Sir Keir has so far only supported the government’s call for “humanitarian pauses”.

The Foreign Office is in contact with around 200 UK nationals in Gaza. It comes as the Israeli military launched a second ground raid in Gaza in as many days, striking targets on the outskirts of Gaza City.

More than 7,000 Palestinians have already been killed in the war, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, and an even greater loss of life could come in the event of a full invasion aimed at crushing Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007 and survived four previous wars with Israel. More than 1,400 people in Israel were killed during the initial Hamas attack, and Hamas also holds hundreds of hostages, according to the Israeli government.