UK Condemns Gaza Aid Failures, Warns Israel

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, issued a stark warning about the worsening humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.

Local media quotes Lammy as saying the United Kingdom may escalate pressure on Israel if a ceasefire agreement to end the war in the besieged territory fails to materialize.

Appearing before Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday, Lammy also voiced sharp criticism of a new aid distribution mechanism in Gaza.

This distribution is operated through the U.S. and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).

The scheme, which was introduced to facilitate humanitarian relief, has come under intense scrutiny in recent weeks.

“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.”

The GHF has been linked to multiple deadly incidents in recent weeks.

Israeli forces have reportedly opened fire on different occsions, on crowds of Palestinians attempting to access aid, resulting in hundreds of deaths.

When questioned by a committee member about whether the UK would impose consequences on Israel if the “intolerable” conditions in Gaza persist, Lammy responded: “Yes, we will.”

This marks the most direct statement yet from the UK’s top diplomat regarding potential further action against the Israeli government.

The comments come on the heels of a series of steps London has taken in recent months to signal growing disapproval of Israeli policies.

In June, the UK aligned with Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Norway in sanctioning Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.

It cited their role in inciting violence against Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank.

That move followed the UK’s earlier suspension of free trade talks with Israel, which Lammy said was in response to the Gaza blockade that has left the enclave on the brink of famine.

In 2023, London also halted some arms sales to Israel.

Despite these measures, some advocates for Palestinian rights have argued that the actions remain largely symbolic, lacking the teeth needed to pressure Israel into altering its conduct.

Lammy acknowledged that, while the UK has made efforts, they have not yet significantly influenced Israeli behavior.

Pressed on whether current UK pressure has led to any tangible change, Lammy conceded: “Not sufficient.”

However, he stood by the UK’s record, pointing to British financial support for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), which has faced defunding from other Western nations.

“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.

Lammy also strongly denounced the ongoing expansion of illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank and rising settler violence, describing both as violations of international law.

“They are flouting international law,” he said.

Still, the foreign secretary noted that the UK, while influential, is only one voice on the global stage.

“It is but one actor,” he said, downplaying Britain’s ability to singlehandedly drive change in the region.

Despite being a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and a major trade partner of Israel, the UK has not formally recognized the state of Palestine.

This is a move that a number of European nations have taken in the past year.

Meanwhile, British intelligence and military assets, including Royal Air Force surveillance flights over Gaza, have reportedly been used to assist Israel in locating captives.

Domestically, the UK has also drawn criticism for clamping down on pro-Palestinian activism.

The government recently outlawed the group Palestine Action and arrested dozens of its members.

On the question of Palestinian statehood, Lammy reiterated that the UK wants to recognize Palestine as part of a strategic effort toward a two-state solution, rather than making what he called a symbolic declaration.

He explained that London hopes its recognition will help move the situation:

“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.”

But Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Emily Thornberry issued a pointed warning, saying that continued delays in recognizing Palestine could leave little left to acknowledge.

“We should recognize 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.”

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