British politicians are increasingly criticizing Israel’s actions in Gaza, breaking with traditional party lines that have historically muted such criticism of the Israeli government’s conduct in the Middle East. MPs are now openly calling for Tzipi Hotovely (pictured), the UK’s Israeli Ambassador, to be deported.
Labour Minister for the Middle East and North Africa Hamish Falconer faced a tense and impassioned session in the House of Commons last week, where Members of Parliament across the political spectrum demanded stronger action regarding the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Allegations of war crimes, the forced displacement of civilians, and the destruction of critical healthcare infrastructure in Northern Gaza dominated the debate, which was prompted by an Urgent Question. Multiple MPs pressed Mr Falconer to explain what the Government is doing to hold Israel to account, and whether the UK would move toward an arms embargo or adopt other sanctions in response to events on the ground.
Full Text of Questions
1. Layla Moran (Oxford West and Abingdon, Liberal Democrat)
“I’m interested in what assessment the Government has made of Israel’s actions in The Netzarim Corridor, which Israel has cleared of Palestinian civilians in order to construct military roads and positions. One senior Israeli official told Haaretz that the area had been designated as a ‘kill zone’ with anyone who enters being shot. The same officer told Haaretz that civilians were knowingly killed and later designated as terrorists, with competitions between military units regarding who can cause the most casualties.
I wonder what assessment the Minister has made of these alleged war crimes, and what we’re doing to document them and to stop them.”
Hamish Falconer: Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
“Mr Speaker, as you would expect, my department takes careful stock of all of the reports, including the ones that my honourable friend, my right honourable friend mentions, and we include it as part of the regular assessments. We concluded one of those assessments recently, and I updated the House on that.”
2. Susan Murray (East Dunbartonshire, Liberal Democrats)
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I pay tribute to my honourable friend, the Member for Oxford West and Abingdon, for her powerful and sustained advocacy for Palestinians.
Clearly, Mr Speaker, the situation in Northern Gaza is utterly dire. We need to see action from the Government in the face of a dreadful and worsening situation. At the end of December, Israeli forces closed Kamel Adwan—the last functional hospital in Northern Gaza—forcibly removed patients, and detained its director, Dr Abu Safia.
The Minister says that he has raised this with the Deputy Foreign Minister and the Ambassador, but I wish to ask him: what consequences did he spell out to them if Israel fails to meet its obligations to protect civilians and sustain access to healthcare in Northern Gaza?
The Minister also referred to Israeli air strikes in the allegedly ‘safe zone.’ I’ve on previous occasions asked the Foreign Secretary to look again at a full ban on arms sales. Will the Minister now do so? We will only see an end to violence with a ceasefire, so can the Minister update the House on progress towards the release of the Israeli hostages held by Hamas, and towards a lasting ceasefire?
Finally, Mr Speaker, in light of deep concerns about the direction this conflict might take under a second Trump presidency and following remarks made by Israeli government ministers about annexation and actions on the ground in the West Bank to extend illegal settlements, does the Minister agree that now is the moment to recognize Palestine on the 1967 borders?”
Hamish Falconer: Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. Taking the honourable Member’s questions in turn:
On arms sales, we have been clear—and I’m pleased to reiterate that clarity today—we have taken steps in relation to the weapons at issue in Gaza, and we keep that under regular review. But we have taken clear, principled steps.
If the question relates to the F-35 programme, I am happy to reiterate that we carved out that provision because there was no other way in order to meet our obligations in relation to international peace and security. That remains the position.
In relation to a ceasefire, efforts are ongoing. We hope to see an early resolution, but we have been here, I’m afraid, Mr Speaker, many times before. These are incredibly fraught talks; flexibility needs to be shown on all sides. The violence has gone on for far too long. We continue to call for an immediate ceasefire, as we have since we became the Government.
I have raised the situation in Kamel Adwan and the wider question that the provision of healthcare raises in Northern Gaza. I have been clear, Mr Speaker, with the Israeli government about the obligations that fall upon them under international humanitarian law to ensure proper medical assistance is available to Gazan people. They are entitled to that assistance, and those obligations fall clearly under international law. We are clear with the Israelis on those questions, including what the consequences are internationally if they are not met.
The Member also raises questions about illegal settlements. I am pleased to repeat the UK’s position: we do not support the annexation of Gaza; we support the 1967 boundaries. We deplore illegal settlements, and that is why we took sanctions against them late last year.”
3. Patricia Fergus (Glasgow West, Labour)
“Thank you, Mr Speaker, and thank you to the honourable Member for bringing this Urgent Question today. It is indeed urgent.
The UK at the UN called for Israel to abide by UN Security Council Resolution 2286 on the protection of civilians and health care. It is clear Israel is not abiding by that resolution. So the words having been uttered and ignored, what action will the Government now take to ensure Israel is held to account for its actions?”
Hamish Falconer: Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
“Mr Speaker, we could not be more clear—publicly and privately—what expectations fall on Israel in relation to health provision. I have raised these issues, the Foreign Secretary has raised these issues, my ministerial colleagues have raised these issues. It is a source of enormous frustration to the ministerial team that we are still, this long into the conflict, still having to raise these issues. We will continue to do so until there is some resolution, and that resolution must enable greater healthcare for the Palestinians of Gaza and the wider region.”
4. Kevin Craig (Cambridge North, Labour)
“Mr Speaker, you and I have been through this wringer many times over the last 14 months, and I was going to ask today about the fate of Dr Abu Safia, but I think we all know what’s going to happen to him. I was going to ask about the freezing babies—the babies that are freezing to death while blankets are being denied entry into Gaza—but I don’t think we’re going to be able to do much about that, or indeed the denial of access for cancer medication or anaesthetic or crutches or the bombing of every single hospital.
The Minister said he and his team are frustrated. But given the partial application of international law and the Government’s unwillingness to take any significant steps to either compel the imposition of a ceasefire or compliance with international law, rather than frustrated, isn’t he ashamed that millions of people in this country and around the world believe there is an inherent racism at the heart of British foreign policy in this regard—that says that Palestinian lives matter much less than any other lives, or indeed than Israeli lives?
And if he is ashamed, and the honourable lady who sits next to him has taken these statements before, why are they hanging onto their red folders? Why aren’t they standing down and compelling the Government to actually do something active and physical to save these lives?”
Hamish Falconer: Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
“Mr Speaker, there are places I will take lessons about shame, but it is not from the benches opposite me, particularly not on this issue. If the benches opposite want to give me a hard time about what is being done in relation to the people in Gaza, I would turn to your own record—whether it’s in relation to aid into Gaza, whether it’s in relation to the ICC or the ICJ. These are sober issues. We deal with them with the sobriety they require. And I would particularly, from the opposite benches, appreciate questions of that tone.”
5. John Maugham (Sheffield Central, Labour)
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I appreciate the Minister’s frustration and distress. He has expressed it, and I think he shares the depth of anger that most of us have in this House. We’ve witnessed, over the Christmas period—when we’re celebrating with our families—the scenes of children starving and freezing to death as a result of Israeli actions.
The only solution we’ve had in the past to try to prevent war crimes on this scale is a total isolation of a country economically and militarily. I think this Government could take a leading role in that isolation of Israel, to bring it to some form of negotiated settlement. But can I just say one thing that really grates on me? We have an Israeli Ambassador who is an advocate of a ‘Greater Israel,’ refuses to recognize the Palestinian state, defies all the UN resolutions that have been passed about how we can secure that peace, and she still remains in this country. Why aren’t we expelling the Israeli Ambassador?”
Hamish Falconer: Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
“Thank you, Mr Speaker, and I recognize the anguish in the honourable gentleman’s voice about the scenes we have seen coming out of Gaza over the winter period. He’s right—I do feel that anguish as well. I think this whole House sees pictures of civilians in terrible distress and feels it too.
I would say to my right honourable friend that he asked me about the Israeli Ambassador. It is tempting to think that if only we had representatives more to our taste politically, things would be easier. There is a disagreement—clearly a disagreement—between the British and Israeli governments about the conduct of the war in Gaza and the humanitarian implications that flow from it. We will continue to make that disagreement clear through all channels—both through the Israeli Ambassador, directly to the Israeli government, through the Foreign Minister, the Minister for Strategic Affairs, and the Deputy Foreign Minister—and we will continue to talk to the Israeli government about these issues. Indeed, that is the only direct route to secure the changes in the situation that we want to see.”
Analysis and Reaction
The parliamentary session laid bare a multitude of grievances about the scale of destruction in Northern Gaza—particularly concerning the collapse of healthcare facilities, forced displacement, and claims of alleged war crimes. Several MPs accused Israel of breaching international humanitarian law, while others demanded more decisive action from the UK Government, including the potential for targeted sanctions or an arms embargo.
Hamish Falconer (Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) repeatedly emphasized that the UK has taken what he called “clear, principled steps” to address the crisis. These include restricting certain arms exports, providing additional funding to UNRWA, and calling for an immediate ceasefire. Still, MPs from across Labour, Liberal Democrats, and the SNP voiced their collective frustration, urging far stronger measures—such as the recognition of Palestinian statehood, condemnation of alleged “ethnic cleansing,” and a more forceful stance toward the Israeli ambassador.
Whether this translates into a shift in UK foreign policy remains to be seen. For now, the Government maintains it will press on diplomatically, insisting on the 1967 boundaries, calling for an immediate ceasefire, and demanding that Hamas release its hostages. Critics, however, insist these measures have not “moved the dial,” and that Gaza’s situation is dire enough to warrant far more drastic action.
