Labour Leader Argues Ceasefire Would Strengthen Hamas

Sir Keir Starmer is standing by his decision to reject calls for a ceasefire in Gaza, despite growing dissent within the Labour party. The opposition leader argues that a ceasefire now would only allow Hamas to regather strength and carry out more terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians.

Defending Israel's Right to Protect Itself

Sir Keir emphasized that while Israel has the right to defend itself, it must do so within the confines of international law. He acknowledged that making complex judgements about Israel's actions will take time.

Renewed Call for Humanitarian Aid

Alongside his rejection of a ceasefire, Sir Keir Starmer also called for a "humanitarian pause" to allow much-needed aid to flow into Gaza. He stressed the importance of finding a solution to the conflict through peaceful means rather than "bombs and bullets".

Freezing the Conflict

Sir Keir explained his position, stating, "A ceasefire always freezes any conflict in the state where it currently lives. That would leave Hamas with the infrastructure and the capability to carry out the sort of attack we saw on October 7th."