17 December 2023 , 19:58
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Foreign Secretary David Cameron today demanded a “sustainable ceasefire” in the Gaza war.
The British Government added to growing global pressure on Israel as the former Prime Minister warned: “Too many civilians have been killed.”
Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting said calls for a “sustainable ceasefire” were “absolutely right”.
It came as United Nations aid lorries were permitted to enter Gaza directly from Israel for the first time in the 11-week war. Others entering from Egypt were stripped of their supplies by hungry Palestinians.
The Foreign Secretary’s intervention followed the White House in expressing unease about the failure of Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration to cut civilian casualties and outline its plans for Gaza.
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This week David Cameron met with Irish Tanaiste Michael Martin (PA)Lord Cameron wrote in The Sunday Times in a joint article with German foreign affairs Minister Annalena Baerbock: “Our goal cannot simply be an end to fighting today. It must be peace lasting for days, years, generations.
“We therefore support a ceasefire, but only if it is sustainable.”
Both stopped short of calling for an immediate ceasefire, as demanded by pro-Palestinian campaigners with an estimated 18,000 Palestinians killed.
Israeli soldiers exit a tunnel near the border with Israel (Getty Images)France’s foreign minister, Catherine Colonna, called for an “immediate and durable” truce, saying “too many civilians are being killed”. She met Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen in Tel Aviv.
But Mr Netanyahu resisted international pressure. He said he is backed by Israelis to continue the offensive in Gaza, quoting a letter from the family of a soldier who was killed.
It read: “You have a mandate to fight, you do not have a mandate to stop in the middle.”
Mr Netanyahu vowed to eliminate Hamas and bring back the estimated 129 hostages being held by terrorists.
Israel Defence Forces say they have found the largest tunnel yet in Gaza, over 4km long.