Downing Street today urged Israel to restore water supplies to Gaza as No10 refused to say whether Jerusalem was complying with international law during its siege.
Rishi Sunak's spokesman warned water was a key issue in British efforts to "relieve the unfolding humanitarian issues" facing Palestinians. He said talks were ongoing with Israel as the UK was "keen to see water restored", while fuel, food and medicine are also prevented from entering the territory.
The Prime Minister's spokesman repeatedly declined to say whether Downing Street was confident Israel was acting within international law in its response to the Hamas terrorist attack which left at least 1,300 Israelis and six Britons dead. Critics have accused Israel of flouting rules and conventions by enforcing a siege on the Hamas-controlled territory before a widely-expected air, sea and land war.
A Palestinian is helped across the rubble following an Israeli airstrike in Rafah (AFP via Getty Images)"We continue to urge Israel as a democracy we work closely with to act within international law in their actions, I think they are taking steps to do that," said the spokesman. He accused Hamas of "seeking to endanger Palestinian civilians" as they "deliberately enmesh themselves within civilian populations and are urging civilians not to move when encouraged to do so by the Israeli forces".
No10 said a brief resumption of water in Gaza’s Khan Yunis, where a number of displaced families were staying, was not enough. "That was welcome but it only amounted to a small proportion of what is needed," the spokesman said. "We do believe it is vital that water supplies are restored, including local capacity, and we continue to have discussions on that front."
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Earlier, Foreign Office Minister Andrew Mitchell warned of “a looming humanitarian crisis” as Gaza prepares for an invasion by Israel Defence Forces, saying that was “why we're all so focused on trying to do everything we can to relieve it”. He also pledged to do "everything we possibly can" to free up to 10 British hostages seized from Israel by Hamas terrorists.
Mr Mitchell vowed: "We don't know where they are and we are thinking of them all the time, and of course we are strongly supporting the attempt by Israel to find them and release them. The British Government will do everything we possibly can to get them back as soon as we possibly can. We mourn the six British hostages we know who have died and we are extremely concerned about the fate and the state of the other 10."
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps flew to Washington, DC, today for talks with his US counterpart Lloyd Austin and congressional leaders.
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