UK Warns of Further Action Against Israel if “Intolerable” Situation in Gaza Continues

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy has condemned the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, amid the ongoing Israeli blockade, warning that the United Kingdom may take further action if the “intolerable” situation continues.

Speaking to the Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday, Lammy criticised the new aid distribution mechanism in Gaza run by US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).

Over 750 aid seekers have been killed by Israeli forces near or at GHF aid sites across the Gaza Strip, with testimonies and video footage, including admissions from Israeli soldiers and American contractors, confirming that they shot at starving civilains.

“We’ve been very clear that we don’t support the aid foundation that has been set up,” Lammy said. “It’s not doing a good job. Too many people are close to starvation. Too many people have lost their lives. We have led globally on our condemnation the system that has been set up.”

Most humanitarian organizations, including the UN, have distanced themselves from GHF, arguing that the group violates humanitarian principles by restricting aid to south and central Gaza, requiring Palestinians to walk long distances to collect aid, and only providing limited aid, among other critiques. They have also said the model would increase forced displacement in Gaza.

The UK was one of 22 nations—including Canada, France, and Australia—that condemned Israel for severely restricting humanitarian aid into Gaza. The statement urged Israel to permit the entry of more aid, warning that the population is facing “starvation.” It emphasized that humanitarian assistance should never be politicized.

The leaders of the UK, France, and Canada also issued a sharp warning to Israel. In a separate joint statement, they condemned Israel’s expanded attacks on Gaza and the West Bank and threatened concrete action if the offensive continues and the blockade on humanitarian aid is not lifted.

“We will not stand by while the Netanyahu Government pursues these egregious actions,” the statement said. “If Israel does not cease the renewed military offensive and lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid, we will take further concrete actions in response.”

Weeks earlier, the UK had also suspended talks for a free trade agreement with Israel over the blockade on Gaza, which has sparked a starvation crisis in the territory. And last year, London halted some arms exports to Israel.

Asked by a legislator whether the British government will take measures against Israel if the “intolerable” situation in Gaza continues, Lammy said: “Yes, we will.”

Lammy also said London wants its recognition of Palestine to be part of a concrete push towards the two-state solution, not just a symbolic gesture.

He added that the UK wants to recognise Palestine at a moment that helps shift “the dial against expansion, against violence, against the horrors that we’re seeing in Gaza, and towards the just cause that is the desire for Palestinian statehood”.

Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Emily Thornberry warned Lammy that with settlement expansion and annexation threats, if the UK continues to delay the decision to recognise Palestine, “there won’t be anything left to recognise”.

“We should recognise a Palestinian state and then work towards ensuring that one happens practically,” Thornberry said. “But if we continue to hold back, it’ll slide through our fingers.”

Lammy also condemned settler violence and the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank, saying that they are “flouting international law”.

Last month, the UK joined Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway in sanctioningIsraeli government ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich for inciting violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

Pressed on whether the UK’s pressure on Israel has led the Israeli government to alter its behaviour, Lammy acknowledged that the change is “not sufficient”. Still, he defended London’s record, including recent moves against Israel and support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

“I am very, very comfortable that you would be hard pressed to find another G7 partner or another ally across Europe that’s doing more than this government has done,” he said.

Ultimately, Lammy played down the UK’s sway in the Middle East, saying that it is “but one actor”.