Sadiq Khan demands ceasefire in Gaza over 'terrible situation'

The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has issued a statement calling for a ceasefire in Gaza as Israel's relentless and indiscriminate bombardment of the besieged Palestinian territory showed no signs of ending.

The statement, released on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, saw Khan warn that "the terrible situation in Gaza now looks set to deteriorate even further" as only negligible amounts of humanitarian aid were entering.

The UN has warned that basic services in Gaza were "crumbling" because of Israel's bombardment and siege of the territory.

7,326 Palestinians, including almost 3,000 children, have been killed as a result of Israel's bombardment.

Khan called for a ceasefire as "it would stop the killing and would allow vital aid supplies to reach those who need it in Gaza" while also allowing "more time to prevent a protracted conflict in the region and further devastating loss of life."

Thousands of innocent civilians have already been killed in Israel and Gaza.

With the humanitarian crisis set to deteriorate even further, I’m calling for a ceasefire.pic.twitter.com/9HPau9X9jP

— Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) October 27, 2023

Khan said that Israel had a "right to defend itself" following Hamas's assault which killed 1,400 Israelis, but emphasised es that "no nation, including Israel, has the right to break international law."

"There can only ever be a political resolution to achieving peace" he added, stressing that the "cycle of death, pain, and destruction" had to end.

His comments come following a split within the Labour party after its leader, Kier Starmer, said on LBC News, that Israel has the "right" to cut off water and electricity to the besieged Gaza Strip.

He later retracted those remarks, emphasizing that he meant that Israel had the "right to defend itself" following the Hamas attack.

According to The Times forty-eight Labour MPs have gone past the party line and supported for a full ceasefire, with thirty-eight signing a parliamentary motion for a ceasefire, rather than "humanitarian pauses" which Starmer advocated for this week.

The Labour Muslim Network praised Khan's statement on X, saying that he "adds his voice to hundreds of councillors, MPs and the majority of the British public calling for a ceasefire."

In addition to Starmer, Labour mayor of Manchester Andy Burnam, alongside the deputy mayor and 10 other leaders of councils around Greater Manchester, has also called for a ceasefire, as well as Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar.