MP says family in Gaza face heartbreaking decision as she describes her fears
An MP with family in Gaza has said civilians are now having to decide where they want to die as she described her “torturous” wait for news.
Lib Dem Layla Moran hit out at a Tory minister who claimed people are staying put because Hamas is telling them to - branding this "deeply offensive". Her relatives, who are Palestinian Christians, are currently stranded with around 100 people in a church. Internet and phone services were cut off in a communications blackout when the ground invasion advanced this weekend.
Ms Moran told the BBC: “The 24-48 hours where the internet and everything else was cut was torturous. I mean, not knowing if they were dead or alive. We're worried for them anyway and I can't tell you what that did to us as a family.” She said she had received a message informing her that they were safe for the time being.
Ms Moran described her anxiety waiting for news of her loved ones (Anadolu via Getty Images)Ms Moran said her family members had moved into the church after their home was bombed by the Israel Defence Forces during its retaliation for Hamas's October 7 attack. Tanks and infantry pushed into Gaza over the weekend as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a “second stage” in the war. The widening ground offensive came as Israel pounded the territory from air, land and sea.
Ms Moran hit out at Government minister Michelle Donelan, who said Israel had advised Palestinians to move south, but claimed Hamas was telling them to stay put. Ms Moran said she found it “deeply offensive” to suggest Hamas was giving her family orders and stopping them from leaving. “This is not what's happening," Ms Moran said.
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"The reason they are there is because it's three generations. One is frail; you've got 11-year-old twins. They can't move. There's bombing in the south. There was bombing on the so-called safe route that they were given to get to the south. Nowhere in Gaza is safe,” Ms Moran said. “The conversation in Gaza now, I'm afraid to say, has changed. No longer are people saying: ‘Where do we go to be safe?’ The question they are now asking is: ‘Where do we want to be when we die?’
"And this is not hyperbole, this is not just from them but their friends and family who we are in touch with. I cannot overstress the situation. So when I hear from the Government that they want to minimise civilian casualties, I have to say to them that they are failing, the strategy of the UK Government, America and what they are effectively sanctioning in the way Israel is responding."
Ms Donelan was asked whether the UK Government had told Israel that it had would support it "come what may". She responded: "That is categorically not what we've said. The Prime Minister has stood there and said he backs Israel's right to defend itself, just like we would expect our own right to defend ourselves were the shoe to be on the other foot, but that must be done within international law.
"And the protection of civilians must be a priority. We've seen Israel telling the Gazan people to go to the south, we've also seen Hamas telling them not to move."
Pressed on whether the Government was confident Israel had followed international law, Ms Donelan told Sky News: "I'm not an international lawyer and it is not in my jurisdiction to make that decision. Those judgments will be made in due course, based on all of the evidence.
"It is a fast-paced environment, things are happening that we aren't even aware of on the ground. Those judgments and views will be made at a later date by the relevant and appropriate bodies."
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