Keir Starmer ‘Appalled’ by Israel's Blockade on Gaza's Humanitarian Aid but Refuses to Label It ‘Genocide’

Keir Starmer ‘Appalled’ by Israel's Blockade on Gaza's Humanitarian Aid but Refuses to Label It ‘Genocide’

News March 12, 2025
Keir Starmer ‘Appalled’ by Israel's Blockade on Gaza's Humanitarian Aid but Refuses to Label It ‘Genocide’
London (Quds News Network)- British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned Israel's ongoing blockade of aid to Gaza on Wednesday, following a MP's description of the move as "further evidence of genocide” against Palestinians. During a Prime Minister’s Questions session in parliament, Zarah Sultana, a Labour Party MP for Coventry South, described Israel’s prevention of aid into the Strip as “further evidence of genocide”. She asked: “Israel’s decision to also cut off electricity to a water plant supplying drinking water to half a million people is yet another blatant violation of international law and further evidence of genocide against the Palestinian people. In light of these facts, does the prime minister still maintain that Israel is not committing genocide?” “I’m really appalled by Israel blocking aid when it is needed at greater volume and speed than it’s ever been needed,” Starmer replied. “Blocking goods and supplies and power entering Gaza risks breaching international humanitarian law, and it shouldn’t be happening and we are doing everything we can to alleviate that situation.” Starmer has consistently refrained from labeling Israel's actions in Gaza as "genocide." Last year, Starmer was asked in parliament to share his definition of genocide and to outline what action he was taking to save the lives of people in Gaza. In response, he said he was "well aware of the definition of genocide" and that this explains why he has "never described or referred to [the situation in Gaza] as genocide".

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