SNP urge recall of parliament over Israeli airstrikes on aid workers

Israeli airstrikes on Gaza aid workers killed seven people, including three UK citizens.

The SNP has written to Rishi Sunak, Sir Keir Starmer and Speaker Lindsay Hoyle demanding an immediate recall of the UK parliament.

Stephen Flynn, the SNP Westminster leader, accused Israel of breaching international law after airstrikes on Gaza aid workers killed seven people, including three UK citizens.

It comes as Labour urged the Government to urgently publish any advice it has received about exporting arms to Israel.

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn has called for the recall of parliament.

In his letter to the party leaders and Speaker, Mr Flynn said: "Our call to end arms sales to Israel has been repeatedly rejected by the UK government and the Labour Party, despite the overwhelming evidence that Israel is breaching international law through its indiscriminate bombardment of Gaza and its collective punishment of the Palestinian people.

"This is an unforgivable decision. To date, more than 100,000 Palestinian children, women and men have been killed or injured. Huge swathes of Gaza have been obliterated, including hospitals, refugee camps and family homes. Around two million Palestinians have been displaced and many are on the brink of starvation."With three UK citizens among those killed in the Israeli strike on World Central Kitchen (WCK) aid workers, it is essential that the UK Parliament is recalled immediately. This situation demands that the Prime Minister comes to parliament without further delay to outline the UK government's response to the killing of UK citizens by Israel, to enable MPs to scrutinise the UK government's response, and so that Parliament can finally debate and vote on ending arms sales to Israel.”

Three British nationals, an Australian, a Polish national, an American-Canadian dual citizen and a Palestinian died when the convoy was hit as it was leaving the Deir al-Balah warehouse on Monday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said they were killed by an “unintended strike” by Israeli forces.

Elsewhere, Labour’s shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said the Government must urgently publish any advice it has received about exporting arms to Israel.

Asked whether there was a case for the UK to halt arms exports, she told reporters in London: “We have urged the Government to urgently publish any reports that they have on the abidance with international law.

“The international law is clear that where arms sales are at risk of being used for purposes not consistent with international law, they shouldn’t happen.

“That is why now we are asking the Government to urgently publish the evidence that they have.”

Speaking during a local election campaign visit to Gloucester, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey called for the Government to “do far more than it’s done” and demanded that British arms exports to Israel are stopped.

He said: “I think we need to send a very powerful message, so Liberal Democrats are calling for British exports of arms to Israel to be ended.

“I think that will send a powerful signal from a close ally of Israel that we think this is unacceptable, and this is intolerable.

“It would also send a message to the US who are the main supplier of arms to Israel, it will hopefully ensure that they reviewed their policy.

“We need an immediate bilateral ceasefire”.

Asked about ending arms sales to Israel on Wednesday the Prime Minister defended the UK’s “careful” arms export regime.

Speaking to the Sun Newspaper’s Never Mind the Ballots show, he said: “I think we’ve always had a very careful export licensing regime that we adhere to.

“There are a set of rules, regulations and procedures that we’ll always follow, and I have been consistently clear with Prime Minister Netanyahu since the start of this conflict that while of course we defend Israel’s right to defend itself and its people against attacks from Hamas, they have to do that in accordance with international humanitarian law, protect civilian lives and, sadly, too many civilians have already lost their lives.

“Get more aid into Gaza. That’s what we’ve consistently called for and what we want to see actually is an immediate humanitarian pause to allow more aid in, and crucially the hostages to be released, and that’s what we’ll continue to push for.”