By Emeka Blast 
David Lammy Among 24 Nations Criticizing Israel for Blocking Gaza Aid
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy has joined foreign ministers from 24 nations, including Australia, Canada, and France, alongside the EU Commissioner for Equality, in a sharp rebuke of Israel’s restrictions on humanitarian aid to Gaza, accusing the Israeli government of depriving Palestinians of “human dignity.” In a joint statement released Monday afternoon, the coalition condemned Israel’s aid delivery model as “dangerous” and called for an immediate ceasefire, warning that the war must “end now” to halt the deepening civilian suffering.
The statement, described as one of Lammy’s strongest criticisms since taking office, highlighted the “unacceptable” proposal by Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz to relocate 600,000 Palestinians to a so-called “humanitarian city” in Rafah, Gaza’s heavily damaged southern city. The ministers declared, “Permanent forced displacement is a violation of international humanitarian law,” rejecting plans that could see Gaza’s entire population moved. They also condemned the “drip feeding of aid” and the killing of civilians, including children, seeking essentials like water and food, citing reports from Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry of dozens killed over the weekend while accessing aid.
Lammy’s stance marks a shift from his earlier reluctance to criticize Israel, following a tense April meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and mounting frustration over the blockade that began in March. The UK has already suspended arms export licenses and free trade talks with Israel, while restoring funding to UNRWA. The coalition pledged further action to support a ceasefire if Israel persists, with Lammy stating on X, “The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths. We need an immediate ceasefire, release of all hostages, and a full resumption of aid.”
Social media reactions on X, including from @lorintbc and @lmharpin, praised Lammy’s “robust” criticism, though some users, like @thegreatindiav, called for stronger measures. Critics note Lammy’s past ties to Labour Friends of Israel and £32,550 in donations from pro-Israel groups, raising questions about his consistency.
