Starmer says UK 'taking forward' plans to air-drop aid into Gaza as MPs urge PM to recognise Palestinian state

Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed that the UK will play a role in dropping aid into Gaza by air after 221 cross-party MPs signed a letter calling on the government to recognise a Palestinian state.

Starmer told French and German leaders that the UK will be "taking forward" plans to airdrop aid and evacuate children requiring medical assistance in Gaza with partners like Jordan, Downing Street said.

The PM had previously suggested the UK will do "whatever we can" to get aid into Gaza using parachutes, and that it is already taking steps towards this.

In a video statement released on X last night, Starmer said: "I know the British people are sickened by what is happening. The images of starvation and desperation are utterly horrifying.

"The denial of aid to children and babies is completely unjustifiable, just as the continued captivity of hostages is completely unjustifiable.

"Hundreds of civilians have been killed by Israeli forces while seeking aid. Children have been killed while collecting water. It is a humanitarian catastrophe. And it must end now."

Hinting that the UK could be involved in parachuting aid into Gaza, the PM said the UK is 'scaling up our work' to help Gaza.

He said: "News that Israel will allow countries to airdrop aid into Gaza has come far too late – but we will do everything we can to get aid in via this route."

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"We are already working urgently with the Jordanian authorities to get British aid onto planes and into Gaza. We will pull every lever we have to get food and lifesaving support to the Palestinian people immediately."

On Friday, Israel confirmed it will allow foreign aid to be parachuted into Gaza after the amount of people dying of hunger in the blockaded enclave surged in recent weeks.

An IDF official confirmed the World Central Kitchen will also begin reactivating its kitchens in the region. The not-for-profit NGO had paused its work in Gaza last November after Israel enacted a months-long blockade of the region, limiting food and medical supplies.

The PM also said the UK was "urgently accelerating efforts" to evacuate children in need of critical medical assistance to the UK to receive treatment.

The decision comes as Starmer faces "overwhelming" pressure to recognise the state of Palestine, a move seen as a key step in protecting Gaza's civilian population.

221 MPs, from nine parties, requested that the Prime Minister recognises Palestine in a joint letter, urging the Government to take the step ahead of a United Nations’ conference in New York next week.

Their letter, co-ordinated by Sarah Champion, Labour chairwoman of the International Development Select Committee, said: “We are expectant that the outcome of the conference will be the UK Government outlining when and how it will act on its long-standing commitment on a two-state solution; as well as how it will work with international partners to make this a reality."

Parliamentarians from Labour, the Conservatives, Lib Dems, SNP, Greens, Plaid Cymru, SDLP and independents were among those who signed the letter.

Ms Champion said a number of MPs were accidentally missed off the letter, but had supported it, including Twickenham MP Munira Wilson. She said that a number of new MPs will be added to the list on Monday.

Ellie Chowns, Green Party MP for North Herefordshire, told LBC's Henry Riley there is "very, very widespread support" in Parliament to recognise the state of Palestine.

Ms Chowns, who is running to be co-leader of the Greens, said this morning: "To be honest, it's the bare minimum that our government should be doing. It's long overdue."

"We are seeing horror after horror," she added.

"Recognising a Palestinian state is not the be all and end all, but it is an essential first step and it's frankly the minimum that our government should be doing. I want to see them do far, far more.

"It is perfectly possible and perfectly logical to totally condemn what Hamas did two years ago and at the same time to recognise the reality that the Palestinian people have a very real claim for recognition, for their statehood.

"To have recognition, you know, other countries did it, going back to 1988. We should have done it much earlier."

Ahead of an emergency call with German and French leaders on Friday, the Prime Minister condemned the "unspeakable and indefensible" humanitarian conditions in Gaza.

He spoke to Emmanuel Macron, who has confirmed France will recognise Palestinian statehood, making his country the first G7 nation to do so.

When asked whether he would follow suit, the PM said the statehood was the "inalienable right" of the Palestinian people but maintained that a ceasefire should come first.

The UK, France and Germany released a joint statement calling on Israel to 'immediately lift restrictions on flow of aid' to Gaza as fears of mass starvation in the region continue to grow.

"The humanitarian catastrophe that we are witnessing in Gaza must end now.

"Withholding essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable," the three nations added.

They also called on Israel to "urgently allow the UN and humanitarian NGOs to carry out their work in order to take action against starvation. Israel must uphold its obligations under international humanitarian law."

But MPs believe Sir Keir should act more swiftly. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey, who signed the joint letter, claimed the UK "should be leading on this, not falling behind".

At least 115 Gazans, 80 being children, have starved to death in the wake of October 7, 2023, with most deaths coming in recent weeks, new data from the Gaza health ministry shows.

The UN has blamed rising hunger and malnutrition on Israel’s continued blockade of Gaza, which has seen the region’s people “drip-fed” aid, a policy the UK government has branded “inhumane.”

Dr Mohammed Abu Salmiya, the director of Shifa hospital in Gaza City, added that around 900,000 children in Gaza are suffering from hunger.

At least 70,000 of them are in a state of malnutrition, he warned.

Since Israel began its blockade of Gaza, food and medical supplies have been distributed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation - an Israel and US-backed organisation.

More than 1,000 people have been killed while queuing for aid at GHF sites, leading to allegations Israel is deliberately targeting civilians looking for food.

In all, at least 59,000 people have been killed during Israel's assault on Gaza, which began after Hamas killed 1,139 Israelis on October 7, 2023.