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LONDON

The British prime minister on Wednesday decried Israel's ongoing attacks in the Gaza Strip, saying the recent offensive is "appalling, counterproductive, and intolerable."

Speaking in the House of Commons, Keir Starmer reiterated Britain's opposition to Israel's ongoing attacks in Gaza as well as settler violence in the occupied West Bank.

"Israel's recent action is appalling and, in my view, counterproductive and intolerable, and we have strongly opposed the expansion of military operations and settler violence and the blocking of humanitarian aid," he told the weekly Prime Minister's Questions session.

The prime minister recalled that his government has recently suspended the Free Trade Agreement talks with Israel and sanctioned extremists supporting violence in the West Bank.

"We will keep looking at further action, along with our allies, including sanctions, but let me be absolutely clear; we need to get back to a ceasefire, we need the hostages who've been held for a very long time to be released."

He stressed the need for more aid at speed and at volume in Gaza, saying it is "an appalling, an intolerable situation."

Asked by Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, whether the government will take more decisive actions, Starmer said they are working with allies "to take whatever measures we can" to get that humanitarian aid in.

"We've been doing that intensively over recent weeks, and I can give him my assurance we'll continue to do that, because that aid needs to get in at speed and at volume," he added.

Further pressed by lawmakers to take more resolute action against Israel's attacks, Starmer reiterated that his government has is "strongly opposed and appalled" by Israel's recent actions.

He said they have been "absolutely clear in condemning them and calling them out, whether that's the expansion of military operations, settler violence or the dreadful blocking of aid, is completely unacceptable."

At least 54,607 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s genocidal war since October 2023, the Health Ministry said on Wednesday.

The Israeli army resumed its assaults on the Gaza Strip on March 18, breaking a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that took hold in January.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.