Israel alone should not be allowed to decide what happens to Gaza once it is free from the grip of Hamas terror, according to Keir Starmer.
The Labour leader called for international involvement, including from neighbouring Arab countries, in the future of Gaza, and said Israeli occupation of the Strip should not be the answer.
Sir Keir also called for a “humanitarian truce” in the fighting, following reports that Israel has spelt out its vision for the future of Gaza.
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Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant outlined proposals for Israel to keep security control of Gaza once Hamas is defeated, while a Palestinian body runs day-to-day administration.
Asked about the plans by LBC, Labour leader Sir Keir said: “We cannot have Israeli occupation, we cannot have people displaced who cannot go back to where they came, because two million have been displaced in the last four months, that is intolerable.”
He added: “I don’t think, frankly, it is for Israel to determine what happens in Gaza. There has got to be much more international agreement on this, otherwise it simply isn’t going to work.”
The Labour leader pointed to regional rulers in Qatar and Jordan as among those who should be involved in negotiating a peace solution.
Sir Keir also reiterated calls for an end to the fighting, pointing to humanitarian pauses in the conflict which have previously helped aid get into Gaza as the basis for future peace efforts.
He said: “At the moment what we are seeing is a horror that has gone on for the last few months, far too many civilians being killed in Gaza, far too many people displaced, and not enough aid going in.
“We all want to get to a ceasefire. So the question is: how do we get there?
“I think we need a humanitarian truce. We did have a short truce earlier on, let’s get back to that immediately.
“Let’s use that for intense diplomacy to deal with the obvious issues. Hamas has got to release the hostages, aid has got to get in, and to work our way to a political process for a two-state solution.”
