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UK PM Starmer to convene cabinet over Gaza amid calls to recognise Palestinian state
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will convene a cabinet meeting next week, a government source said on Sunday, most likely to discuss the situation in Gaza after coming under growing pressure to recognise a Palestinian state.
The Financial Times, which initially reported the story, said ministers, currently in a summer recess until September 1, would reconvene to discuss Gaza.
Starmer's office did not immediately reply to a Reuters request for comment.
The recall comes after Starmer said on Friday the British government would recognise a Palestinian state only as part of a negotiated peace deal, disappointing many in his Labour Party who want him to follow France in taking swifter action.
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President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday France would recognise a Palestinian state, a plan that drew strong condemnation from Israel and the United States, after similar moves from Spain, Norway and Ireland last year.
More than 220 members of parliament in the UK, mostly Labour members representing about a third of the House of Commons, wrote to Starmer on Friday urging him to recognise a Palestinian state.
Successive British governments have said they will formally recognise a Palestinian state when the time is right, without setting a timetable or specifying the necessary conditions.
Starmer's approach has been complicated by the arrival in Scotland on Friday of U.S. President Donald Trump, with whom he has built warm relations. In foreign policy terms, Britain has rarely diverged from the United States.
Israel has been facing growing international criticism, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government rejects, over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
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Economic Times
a minute ago
- Economic Times
Israel plans to take over Gaza City to pressure Hamas. Worries rise for civilians and hostages
Israel said Friday it will intensify its 22-month war with Hamas by taking over Gaza City, drawing a dismissal from the militant group and renewed international calls to end the conflict, while stirring fears for Palestinian civilians and Israeli hostages still held in Gaza. Israel's air and ground war has killed tens of thousands of people in Gaza, displaced most of the population, destroyed vast areas and pushed the territory toward famine. The timing of another major ground operation is unclear. It will likely require mobilizing thousands of troops and forcibly evacuating civilians, almost certainly exacerbating the humanitarian catastrophe. An official familiar with the plans to take over Gaza City said the operation would be "gradual" and that there is no start date. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters. Mediators from Egypt and Qatar are working on a new framework that will include the release of all hostages - dead and alive - in one go in return for an end of the war in Gaza and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the strip, two Arab officials told The Associated Press. Before Israel's Security Cabinet approved the plan to take over Gaza City, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had outlined more sweeping plans Thursday in an interview with Fox News, saying Israel planned to take control of all of Gaza. Israel already controls around three-quarters of the territory. Hamas rejected Israel's plans. "Expanding of aggression against our Palestinian people will not be a walk in the park," the group said in a statement. Netanyahu had signaled plans for even broader war International powers, including Israeli allies, have stepped up criticism of the war amid mounting shock over media reports showing starvation. Germany said Friday it would not authorize the export of military equipment that could be used in Gaza until further notice. Tensions could rise further if Netanyahu follows through on the more sweeping plans to take control of the entire territory, two decades after Israel's unilateral withdrawal. Asked in the interview with Fox News ahead of the Security Cabinet meeting if Israel would "take control of all of Gaza," Netanyahu replied: "We intend to, in order to assure our security, remove Hamas there." He added that Israel did not intend to "keep it." Israel's new plan may be aimed in part at pressuring Hamas to accept a ceasefire on Israel's terms. It may also reflect the reservations of Israel's military chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, who reportedly warned that expanding operations would endanger the remaining 20 or so living hostages held by Hamas and further strain Israel's army after nearly two years of regional wars. The military "will prepare to take control of Gaza City while providing humanitarian aid to the civilian population outside the combat zones," Netanyahu's office said in a statement after the Security Cabinet meeting. Amir Avivi, a retired brigadier general and chairman of Israel's Defense and Security Forum, estimated it would take less than three months to mobilize some 30,000 troops, evacuate Palestinian civilians and take over Gaza City. Hamas-led militants triggered the war when they stormed into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and abducting 251 people. Most of the hostages have been released in ceasefires or other deals but 50 remain inside Gaza. Israel believes around 20 of them to be alive. Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed over 61,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not say how many were fighters or civilians. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals. The United Nations and independent experts view the ministry's figures as the most reliable estimate of casualties. Israel has disputed them without offering a toll of its own. Mediators try again to end the war The efforts for a new ceasefire have the backing of major Arab Gulf monarchies, according to two officials who spoke anonymously due to the sensitivity of the discussions. One is involved directly in the deliberations and the second was briefed on the efforts. The monarchies are concerned about further regional destabilization if Israel fully reoccupies Gaza, the officials said. The yet-to-be finalized framework aims to address the contentious issue of what to do with Hamas' weapons, with Israel seeking full disarmament and Hamas refusing. The official directly involved in the efforts said discussions are underway about "freezing arms," which may involve Hamas retaining but not using its weapons. It also calls for the group to relinquish power in the strip. A Palestinian-Arab committee would run Gaza and oversee the reconstruction efforts until the establishment of a Palestinian administration with a new police force, trained by two U.S. allies in the Middle East, to take over the strip, the official said. It is unclear what role the Western-backed Palestinian Authority would play. The second official said the U.S. administration has been briefed on the broad lines of the framework. A senior Hamas official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to brief the media, said the group has yet to receive details on the latest efforts to revive ceasefire talks. AP reached out to the governments in Qatar, Egypt and Israel as well as the White House for comment. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff told hostage families during his recent visit that Israel was shifting its approach to pursue a comprehensive "all-or-nothing" deal aimed at ending the war and securing the release of hostages, a person who attended the meeting told the AP, speaking on the condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak about the private meeting. 'There is nothing here to occupy' Israel has repeatedly bombarded Gaza City and carried out numerous raids there, only to return to neighborhoods again and again as militants regrouped. Today, it is one of the few areas in Gaza that hasn't been turned into an Israeli buffer zone or placed under evacuation orders. Umm Youssef from Gaza City said she had left the city for over 16 months before returning to her home. 'The area is all rubble. Rubble is an overstatement, it is a sandpile. There is nothing here to occupy. There is no life here," she said. A major ground operation there could displace tens of thousands of people and further disrupt efforts to deliver food to the hunger-stricken territory. It's unclear how many people are still in Gaza City, the territory's largest before the war. Hundreds of thousands fled under evacuation orders in the opening weeks of the conflict, but many returned during a ceasefire at the start of this year.
Hans India
3 minutes ago
- Hans India
Adopt Swadeshi, shun foreign goods; this is the road to India's prosperity: CM Yogi Adityanath
Lucknow, August 9: On Friday, after the Kakori Train Action Centenary Celebrations, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath paid heartfelt tribute to the revolutionaries who laid down their lives for India's freedom. Calling upon the younger generation to embrace patriotism and Swadeshi, he said, 'Swadeshi should be the aim and mantra of our lives. We will live for Swadeshi and die for our country. When India advances with this spirit of patriotism, no power in the world can harm us.' He added that the message of freedom continues to inspire all of us to move forward with this resolve. During the event, the Chief Minister saluted the martyrs of the Kakori train action, planted a Peepal tree at the venue, and participated in a Raksha Bandhan celebration by having rakhis tied by young girls, to whom he gifted sweets and chocolates. He also clicked photographs and selfies at the museum, honored the families of martyred soldiers on stage, and released a book based on the historic Kakori incident. The program featured cultural performances by the Culture Department, including a dramatic portrayal of the Kakori train action. In his address, CM Yogi Adityanath recalled the courage of the revolutionaries who, on 9 August 1925, seized the British government's treasury in Kakori and used it to fuel the freedom struggle. He noted that while only ₹4,600 was taken during the action, the British government spent over ₹10 lakh to capture them. Bravehearts like Pandit Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan, Thakur Roshan Singh, and Rajendranath Lahiri were executed without trial. Chandrashekhar Azad evaded capture by the British, choosing instead to fight valiantly and embrace martyrdom. The Chief Minister described the centenary celebration as a momentous occasion to honor their legacy, urging every citizen to remember and express gratitude to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for India's independence a century ago. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that rekindling the spirit of patriotism in every citizen's heart should be our collective resolve today. Echoing the call of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he urged that the tricolor be hoisted atop every home and that Tiranga Yatras be organized in every village, municipal body, and ward. 'This will embody the true spirit of our Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav,' he said. The Chief Minister emphasized that the national flag should fly proudly over every household and that through the Tiranga Yatra, we must carry forward the message of national unity, defeating every divisive agenda. 'If we move ahead with this determination, this Independence Day celebration will once again unite every Indian with the soul of the nation,' he remarked. On the occasion of Independence Day, CM Yogi reiterated the Prime Minister's message and said that every Indian has always honoured the courage and valour of the Indian Army. Citing a recent example, he said that the bravery of Indian soldiers during Operation Sindoor, launched in response to an enemy-imposed conflict, has earned global recognition for India's strength. Linking economic self-reliance to nation-building, he cautioned that purchasing foreign goods drains our wealth abroad, which in turn can fuel terrorism and extremism. He appealed to people to buy and gift only indigenous products during upcoming festivals such as Raksha Bandhan, Janmashtami, Dussehra, Deepawali, and Chhath. 'When we choose swadeshi products, we empower our artisans and handicrafts, generating livelihood opportunities and strengthening the nation's economy. Even if these products cost slightly more, they contribute directly to the country's progress,' he said. He further urged every resident of Uttar Pradesh to visit Gandhi Ashram on October 2 and take a pledge to purchase Khadi. Honoring the families of revolutionaries and brave soldiers associated with the Kakori movement, CM Yogi said, 'We must respect every soldier and karmveer who safeguards the nation.' He announced that the world-famous mangoes of Malihabad, Lucknow, will now be branded under the name Kakori and exported globally, both as a tribute to the revolutionaries and as a means to boost regional development. The Chief Minister added that under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the Uttar Pradesh government is not only commemorating freedom fighters but also actively working to restore and preserve martyr memorials. Recalling landmark revolutionary events such as the Mainpuri Action (1915), Chauri Chaura incident (1922), and Kakori Train Action (1925), he said, 'Every achievement has a price, and our ancestors paid it with their sacrifices. Now, it is our responsibility to build the India of their dreams.' Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, Tourism and Culture Minister Jaiveer Singh, and Lucknow Mayor Sushma Kharkwal were present on the occasion.
Indian Express
3 minutes ago
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Netanyahu's plan to control Gaza draws global criticism, Germany halts military exports
Israel's plan to take control of Gaza City as part of its ongoing military offensive has prompted sharp criticism and calls for restraint from governments and international bodies around the world. 'We don't want to keep it. We want to have a security perimeter. We don't want to govern it,' Netanyahu said. Hamas accused the Israeli leader of trying to derail ceasefire talks, saying he was seeking a military solution 'with the aim of getting rid of the hostages and sacrificing them for personal and political interests'. UN human rights chief Volker Türk said the war 'must end now' and warned that further escalation 'will result in more massive forced displacement, more killing, more unbearable suffering, senseless destruction and atrocity crimes'. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen posted on X that Israel's decision 'must be reconsidered' and that a ceasefire was needed immediately. She also called for the release of hostages held 'in inhumane conditions' and for aid to reach Gaza without restrictions. The Israeli government's decision to further extend its military operation in Gaza must be reconsidered. At the same time, there must be the release of all hostages, who are being held in inhumane conditions. And humanitarian aid must be given immediate and unhindered access to… — Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) August 8, 2025 German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that Berlin would stop approving exports of military equipment that could be used in Gaza. He said Israel's decision 'makes it increasingly difficult' to see how its stated goals disarming Hamas and freeing hostages could be achieved. Denmark's foreign ministry urged Israel to reverse the decision, while the Netherlands' Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp called it 'a wrong move' that would 'not help to get the hostages home' (BBC). Saudi Arabia condemned any Israeli attempt to take control of Gaza, saying it 'categorically denounces' what it described as crimes against Palestinians, including 'starvation' and 'brutal practices', as reported by Reuters. Turkey's foreign ministry called on the international community to stop the plan, saying it aimed to 'forcibly displace Palestinians from their own land'. China's foreign ministry reiterated that 'Gaza belongs to the Palestinian people' and called for an immediate ceasefire. Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong urged Israel 'not to go down this path', saying it would 'only worsen the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza' and that permanent forced displacement would violate international law. UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called the escalation 'wrong' and urged Israel to reconsider. He said: 'This action will do nothing to bring an end to this conflict or to help secure the release of the hostages. It will only bring more bloodshed'. The Israeli Government's decision to further escalate its offensive in Gaza is wrong, and we urge it to reconsider immediately. Every day the humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsens and hostages taken by Hamas are being held in appalling and inhuman conditions. We need a ceasefire… — Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) August 8, 2025 Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said she hoped for an immediate ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages.
