Winston Churchill’s grandson labels civilian suffering in Gaza ‘institutionalised cruelty’
6 January 2025, 22:18 | Updated: 6 January 2025, 23:31
Sir Winston Churchill’s grandson Lord Soames has condemned civilian suffering in Gaza, labelling it "institutionalised cruelty".
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The treatment of civilians in the besieged territory was "contrary to all the laws of war", Tory former minister Lord Soames of Fletching said on Monday.
He also urged the UK Government to do more to aid Palestinian civilians in the territory.
It comes as the Palestinian death toll in Gaza reached 45,658 following the start of the war in October of 2023, with upwards of 1,200 Israelis killed.
Both nations attempt to hammer out a ceasefire deal following the 15-months of conflict, with Israel continuing to demand the return of 96 Israeli hostages before U.S. President-elect Donald Trump comes to power.
The Conservative peer levelled his criticism as ministers were pressed in Parliament over moves to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, amid several reports of infants freezing and starving to death.
Responding to an urgent question in the Lords on the continuing conflict, foreign minister Baroness Chapman of Darlington said: "The suffering that we are seeing in Gaza is intolerable."
Highlighting aid sent to the region, including shelters and medicine, Lady Chapman added: "The UK continues to press the Government of Israel to better protect civilians in Gaza."
Lord Soames said: "Is the minister aware that, for many of us, this institutionalised cruelty is contrary to all the laws of war?
"It does not seem to many of us that Britain is making enough of this. We owe it to those children and others in the freezing cold to make much more of this disgraceful behaviour."
Responding, Lady Chapman said Britain is trying to send aid into Gaza, but that it is being hindered by the Israeli government.
Lady Chapman said: “We want the conflict to stop, we want the violence to stop and we want children to be safe.
“We are unable to achieve that immediately, but what we ought to be able to achieve very quickly is to get that aid in.
“At the moment that depends on facilitation by the Israeli Government. That has not been happening, and that is what we are calling for.”
Conservative peer Viscount Hailsham asked: "Can the minister please tell her counterparts in the Israeli foreign office that many of us who have been long supporters of Israel find it very difficult now to reconcile the deaths of 45,000 people, many of whom are wholly unconnected with terrorism, either with the requirements of self-defence or with the principles of a just war?"
The minister said: "We take our advocacy role seriously, and we are glad to undertake it.
“We do make the points about humanitarian law, the protection of civilians and the access that we need to provide humanitarian aid.
“We make those cases privately, yes - but we are now in a situation where we make them publicly too."
Israel’s bombardment and ground invasion in Gaza has killed more than 45,000 Palestinians, over half of whom are women and children. However, this figure is widely believed to be an undercount.
Both Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, after the International Court of Justice ruled that Palestinians were ‘at risk’ of genocide, ordering Israel to cease acts of genocide by allowing more humanitarian aid into the enclave.
Israel has largely ignored the court’s orders, and has instead killed aid workers and raided hospitals, calling the ICJ ‘anti-Semitic’.
The ICJ has also issued arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, and his former defence minister Yoav Gallant for "crimes against humanity and war crimes,” including using “starvation as a method of warfare.”
Israel launched its campaign vowing to destroy Hamas after the group's October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel in which militants killed around 1,200 people and abducted some 250 others.
Since then, Israel has been accused of deliberately stalling ceasefire negotiations, or changing their terms when agreements seem likely.
Around 100 Israelis remain captive in Gaza, around a third of whom are believed to be dead.
Fourteen countries have joined or signalled their intention to join South Africa’s genocide case against Israel in the International Court of Justice.
