Lammy calls for ‘immediate ceasefire and hostage release’ as he visits Israel
Foreign secretary David Lammy met with families of the British hostages still held hostage by Hamas in Jerusalem on first night of his visit to Israel
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Foreign secretary David Lammy has called for an “immediate ceasefire and release of the hostages” on a visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Visiting Israel just over a week since Labour’s election victory to the Middle East, Lammy held meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog and Palestinian Authority PM Mohammad Mustafa, amongst others.
And in a sign of his concern about the fate of the hostages Lammy spent his first evening in Jerusalem meeting with families of British hostages.
He committed the UK government to be involved in attepmts to bring them home with all relevent parties.
After the meeting Sharon Sharabi, whose two brothers Elie and Yossi were taken hostage on 7 October, said: “Mr Lammy promised to do everything to bring the hostages home. The UK government has committed to be involved in a process with all the relevant sides.”
In February the Israeli military said that Yossi Sharabi was killed and that it was likely a result of an IDF air strike. It is thought his body remains in Gaza.
After meeting the Israeli and Palestinian leaders on Sunday Lammy said:”Our message is clear: we need an immediate ceasefire, the immediate release of all hostages, the protection of civilians, unfettered access to aid in Gaza, and a pathway towards a two-state solution.”
After after a further meeting with President Herzog on Monday Lammy said:”“We want to see a hostage deal emerge in the coming days, and I am using all diplomatic efforts. Indeed, last week with the G7 nations, and particularly with Secretary of State Blinken pressing for that hostage deal.”
During his visit the foreign secretary focused on the UK’s diplomatic role in helping bring the conflict in Gaza to an end, and to longer term ambitions of peace and security in the region.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has previously stressed his belief that his party has a “moral duty” to restore the UK’s repution as a fair broker in the region.
“The death and destruction in Gaza is intolerable,” Lammy said in a statement before the visit.
“This war must end now, with an immediate ceasefire, complied with by both sides. The fighting has got to stop, the hostages still cruelly detained by Hamas terrorists need to be released immediately and aid must be allowed in to reach the people of Gaza without restrictions.”
Lammy said it was the UK’s “ambition and commitment” to play a role in securing a ceasefire deal and a renewed path towards a two-state solution.
“The world needs a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state,” he added.
“Central to this is to see an end to expanding illegal Israeli settlements and rising settler violence in the West Bank. Here, in what should be a crucial part of a Palestinian state, alongside Gaza and East Jerusalem, we need to see a reformed and empowered Palestinian Authority.”
In his meeting with Lammy, President Herzog said Labour’s election victory in the UK enabled the country to “move forward in a very dramatic way.”
Herzog added Israel was “at war with an empire of evil that wants to undermine the stability of the world.”
The president said Israel was a “nation seeking peace” and “we must find peace with our neigbours.”
Lammy also expressed frustration over a lack of British aid trucks entering Gaza “after months and months of asking”, echoing long-running complaints from aid agencies about deliveries being blocked or delayed by complex inspections imposed by the Israeli military.
He said the humanitarian situation in Gaza was “appalling” and that the UK would be providing an additional £5.5m to medical charity UK-Med to fund its work in the territory.
After the meeting, Herzog said they discussed “the supreme mission of returning the hostages home to their families”.
“The foreign secretary made clear that his country will continue to work and demand for the release of all the hostages,” he said.
Herzog said he introduced Mr Lammy to the family of Tamir Adar, who was killed on 7 October and whose body was taken into Gaza, and whose grandmother Yaffa was taken hostage and released as part of the previous deals.
He added: “The bonds between the British and Israeli peoples are as strong and robust as they are historic and impactful – especially now, in facing the challenges ahead of us.”
The foreign secretary on Sunday met with the secretary of the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, Hussein Al-Sheikh, in Ramallah, a Palestinian city in the central West Bank.
According to Wafa, the Palestinian news agency, Sheikh urged Lammy to help to work to stop the Israeli aggression against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, to allow more aid to people in Gaza and to recognise the state of Palestine.
Lammy is expected to visit Yad Vashem as well as pledging £5.5m to UK-Med to support ongoing humanitarian work in Gaza.
He previously visited Yad Vashem in 2022 with the Labour Friends of Israel orgainsation.
Commenting on his current visit to Israel, LFI said:“It’s a welcome and important sign that the foreign secretary has visited Israel so early on in office.
“The new government has a real opportunity to strengthen the bilateral relationship, support a ceasefire deal that brings the hostages home, and work towards a political process ultimately leading to lasting peace and security through a negotiated two-state solution.”
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