Rishi Sunak spoke in the Commons for the first time about the Israel-Palestine conflict before fielding two hours of questions from MPs.

Nicola Sturgeon has denied being “the Liz Truss of the SNP” after a surprise appearance at the party’s conference overshadowed Humza Yousaf, her successor.

The former first minister replied: “Don’t be ridiculous” when asked whether her appearance could be compared to that of Ms Truss at the Tory conference earlier this month, which attracted a huge crowd.

Ms Sturgeon denied overshadowing Mr Yousaf or being a “liability” to the SNP following her arrest by police investigating the party’s finances. She was released without charge pending further investigation, and has denied any wrongdoing.

After two hours, Rishi Sunak has finished taking questions from MPs about the Israel-Palestine conflict.’

Blocking children’s access to food goes beyond self-defence’

Nadia Whittome, the Labour MP for Nottingham East, said the “targeting killing of civilians, whether Israeli or Palestinian, must be condemned”.

Ms Whittome added: “The civilians of Gaza should not be made to pay the price for the atrocities of Hamas.

“Blocking children’s access to food goes beyond self-defence, it’s a violation of international law, while the World Health Organisation has described forcing patients to relocate from hospitals as tantamount to a death sentence for some. Will the Prime Minister do all that he can to convince the Israeli government to cancel the relocation order, end the siege and end indiscriminate bombing?”

Rishi Sunak replied: “I just gently point out to the honourable lady it is not Israel that is deliberately targeting civilians in Gaza, it is Hamas that is enmeshing itself in the civilian population and using people as human shields.

“And she talked about people moving. Again, Israel is attempting to minimise the impact of civilians by asking people to leave northern Gaza and it is Hamas that is telling people to stay and again using them as human shields.”

A statue of George IV has been daubed with pro-Palestinian graffiti following protests in London at the weekend.

Free Palestine was scrawled twice on the base of the monument, in Trafalgar Square, which depicts the king in Roman dress on horseback. A nearby statue of Charles I on horseback, was draped in a Palestinian flag.

Some 30,000 people attended a march in support of Palestine on Saturday that was marred by anti-Semitic chanting.

It comes as fighting continues between the Israel Defence Forces and Hamas following the massacre of hundreds of Israeli citizens by Hamas terrorists on October 7.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “There is no trace that this matter has been reported to police.”

Tan Singh Dhesi, one of Labour’s shadow Treasury ministers, said: “After the brutal terror atrocities by Hamas, which tragically led to the deaths of over 1,000 Israelis, the government of course has a duty to defend its citizens. But it must be proportionate and in line with international law.

“We must also condemn any indiscriminate killing or forcible eviction from their land of the Palestinian people, who have suffered so much for several decades and are now facing horrors on an unimaginable scale.

“Does the Prime Minister agree that there must be no collective punishment for Palestinians, we must strive for peace and there should be a humanitarian effort by the international community to avert a crisis furthering?”

Rishi Sunak said the UK was working with its partners to bring humanitarian support to the Middle East, noting an increase in aid to Palestine.

Sarah Owen, the Labour MP for Luton North, said:

The Archbishop of Canterbury over the weekend said the price of evil cannot be paid by the innocent and yet in Gaza, Palestinians have had no access to food or water or electricity for over a week. We have seen an evacuation order which has left people with an impossible choice.

Constituents in Luton North have spoken to me about their pain and anguish at the unimaginable loss of lives in Gaza, so many of which are children, all of which following the despicable attack of terror carried out by Hamas. Even at times of war, there are still laws. So, as well as the urgent and desperate need for humanitarian aid and corridors, what are ministers doing to counter breaches of international law that risk further loss of innocent life, along with the possibility of police in the Middle East?

 

Rishi Sunak responded to Ms Owen:

It’s Hamas alone that is responsible for this conflict, and we support Israel in taking action against terrorism and to defend itself, and Hamas has also enmeshed itself in the civilian population in Gaza and is using them as a human shield.

We will continue as a friend to call on Israel to do everything it can to reduce the impact on human life and we will continue to support the area with humanitarian support.

Henry Smith, a senior Conservative MP, said a constituent who visited London on Saturday was “deeply disturbed” by pro-Hamas chants at a pro-Palestinian protest.

Rishi Sunak said the Government had ensured police had the “tools, powers and guidance that they need” to appropriate police protests.

“Obviously this is a difficult situation, I’m thankful for what they did over the weekend, they’ve made, I think, over 20 arrests… We are clear people may be free to express their views, but where they are inciting racial or religious hatred, that is against the law and they will meet the full force of the law as a result.”Sunak: We shouldn’t prescribe best Israeli response.

Tony Lloyd, the MP for Rochdale, became the latest Labour backbencher to criticise the Israeli response to the Hamas attack, arguing it has a duty to defend itself but also to protect innocent Palestinians.

Mr Lloyd said: “I must ask the Prime Minister, with Israel cutting off food, cutting off water, how does this seriously bring the hostages home? How does it seriously help to defeat Hamas?”

Rishi Sunak responded: “It’s not right for us to prescribe for another country how best they can exercise their lawful right and indeed duty to self-defence, but as a friend we will continue to call on Israel to take every precaution to avoid harming civilians.”

Tobias Ellwood, the Tory MP for Bournemouth East, noted the events of October 7 had “rightly been called Israel’s 9/11” but said there were “grave operational and strategic errors” in the name of combating terrorism.

Mr Ellwood said: “If we are a true friend of Israel, we should counsel against a full-scale ground invasion at this time, as it will see this conflict spill into the West Bank, East Jerusalem…”

After Sir Lindsay Hoyle called on MPs to keep their contributions concise, Mr Sunak said: “Of course every country had the right to defend itself and it wouldn’t be appropriate for the UK to define that approach, but we will continue to stand with Israel.

“As I said, as a friend, [we] urge them to take every possible precaution to minimise the impact on civilians.”

Labour MP Dr Rosena Allin-Khan condemned Hamas’s “horrifying” acts of terror but insisted “innocent Palestinians must not pay the collective price”.

Dr Allin-Khan, a former shadow minister, asked Rishi Sunak to seek guarantees from Israel that incendiary weapons would not be used in civilian areas, that hospitals and medics would not be targeted, that food, water and electricity supplies must be immediately restored, and for no “military occupation and annexation of Gazan land”.

Mr Sunak told her: “I’m confident that the prime minister of Israel does not want to see any regional escalation beyond dealing with Hamas, and as a friend we will continue to call on Israel to take every precaution to avoid harming civilians.”

Rushanara Ali, another Labour MP, added: “Over a million Palestinians in Gaza have been told to flee, highlighting the scale of the impending humanitarian disaster which will only inflame tensions in the region… Can the Prime Minister tell the House what particular steps our government is taking to help de-escalate the conflict, which runs the risk of turning this into a wider regional conflict, drawing in Lebanon and Iran?”

The Prime Minister said both he and James Cleverly, the Foreign Secretary, were speaking to partners in the region and surveillance aircraft had been deployed. 

In response to Sir Iain Duncan Smith, Rishi Sunak insisted: “There is no place for demonstrations, convoys or flag-waving on British streets that glorifies terrorism or harasses the Jewish community.

“That’s why I met last week with police chiefs and the Community Security Trust in Downing Street to discuss how better we can protect the Jewish community at this time and police these protests appropriately, and I’m pleased that that work is ongoing but of course we will remain engaged with all partners to, as he said, anyone who breaks the law should be met with the full force of the law and be swiftly arrested.

“And I’ll also reassure him that many people will have seen incidents online and footage of scenes that are simply unacceptable. The police are currently reviewing that footage and where possible, and where they can, they will further arrest those responsible.”

Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the former Tory leader, told the Commons:

Some people forget that the reason we defend Israel’s right to exist and its security is that six million Jews were murdered by a perverted ideology, and we must never return to that again. That’s why we stand with Israel in its time of absolute need.

Over the weekend, I have a Jewish sister-in-law, and she was quite clear that she has never felt more threatened than over the weekend when people took to the streets bearing Hamas’s crest on them, calling out to sweep Israel ‘from the river to the sea’, it’s all about getting rid of Jews in Palestine. There is no other question. So we really have to be very clear that we have to protect these Jewish people here who are British citizens and we must stamp out anti-Semitism.

I therefore ask my right honourable friend whether now we will redouble our efforts to make sure that if ever that happens again, those people bearing those flags, hurling that abuse, will be arrested and prosecuted with the full strength of the law.

Ms Shah asked whether the Foreign Office had received any confirmation of such reports, and what his response would be.

Rishi Sunak replied: “I’m not going to comment on or speculate on reports where we do not have full access to information, or are unable to verify facts.”

Sunak: We will recognise Palestine ‘when it best suits the objective of peace’

Tahir Ali, the Labour MP, asked why the Government “has failed to recognise the state of Palestine”.

“Israel has absolutely every right to defend itself, Palestinians need to have that right as well. In doing so by recognising Palestine as a state, Palestine will be able to root out terrorism and defend its terrority.

“Does the unjustifiable actions of Hamas, a group that does not represent Palestinians, justify the collective punishment of innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza by the Israeli Defence Force?”

Rishi Sunak said the Government’s longstanding position “has been that the United Kingdom will recognise a Palestinian state at a time when it best suits the objective of peace”.

“We are committed to the objective of a sovereign, prosperous and peaceful Palestinian state living side-by-side with a safe and secure. As last week’s attack demonstrates, right now we must make sure Israel has that security.”

She asked Rishi Sunak: “Could the Prime Minister explain through his conversations with President Sisi [of Egypt] how the opening of the border crossings between Gaza and Egypt on humanitarian grounds will be undertaken in a way that prevents the Hamas terrorists from leaving and potentially creating further atrocities in the region?”

Mr Sunak praised her “excellent point”, adding: “That is why there is complexity to opening the border crossing, she should be ensured we are engaged in those conversations, both with the Egyptians and other partners including the Americans, to find a safe way to open that crossing.

“Both ideally for the evacuation of British nationals that may be in Gaza, but also to provide international support into Gaza, which I know we would all like to see happen.”

Ms Butler said the matriarch of the family had been taken hostage by Hamas on October 7, and is currently being held in Gaza.

“Ada booked a ticket to the UK to celebrate her 75th birthday,” the Labour MP added. “I’m asking if you will please, and remember the family are watching you Prime Minister, spare five minutes, just five minutes, to have a quick conversation.”

Mr Sunak added: “I’m more than happy to have a quick conversation, but I’m also engaged actively with our partners in the region to try and ensure the safe release of our hostages, something I’m sure the House will support me in doing in any which way we can.”

He said two million Palestinians “faced a dire humanitarian emergency long before today, yet indiscriminate air strikes and siege tactics have turned what was a critical emergency into a devastating catastrophe”.

“Will the Prime Minister make it clear to the Israeli government that laying siege to civilians in Gaza by blocking food, water, power and medical supplies, and indiscriminate air strikes killing civilians, is in clear violation of international law? And just what is the international community doing to stop the horrific and inhumane treatment of Palestinians?”

Rishi Sunak responded: “I again just gently point out to the honourable gentleman that the entity responsible for the suffering we’re seeing is Hamas and Hamas alone. Now of course we in the international community will do our best to alleviate the impact on innocent people, which is why today we’ve announced further aid to the region.”

Afzal Khan, the Labour MP for Gorton and a shadow justice minister, said a six-year-old Palestinian child had been murdered in Chicago because of his Muslim faith “and as a response to the war between Israel and Hamas”.

Mr Khan added: “In the last week, we have seen a sharp rise in Islamophobia rhetoric and the dehumanisation of Palestinians and tragically yesterday we saw the consequences of this in the murder of this little boy.

“Will the Prime Minister review his statements about the conflict and ensure he does not add to the further vilification of Palestinians and Muslims when condemning the actions of Hamas?”

Rishi Sunak replied: “I just gently urge the honourable gentleman to examine what I said from this despatch box earlier, particularly about standing with the British Muslim community at this difficult time. We will not tolerate anti-Muslim hatred in any form, and will seek to stamp it out.”

He added: “Please see what I did say earlier from this dispatch box. We stand with all communities at this difficult time.”

Mr Sunak replied: “We support Israel’s right to defend itself, but as a friend we will continue to call on Israel to take every precaution to avoid harming civilians.

“This is something I specifically discussed with prime minister Netanyahu, and we will continue to do so.”

The chairman of the foreign affairs committee echoed Sir Ed Davey’s calls to proscribe the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

Alicia Kearns, a Tory backbencher, accused Hamas of descending to the “depths of human depravity”, before calling for a special envoy for the Middle East peace process to be appointed and for loss of life to be minimised.

“How a counterterrorism operation is conducted matters,” Ms Kearns said.

Mr Sunak replied: “This is something that I spoke to the president of the Palestinian Authority this morning about

“It’s important that the West Bank remains calm and that is something we help to bring about.”

Sir Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat leader, said atrocities committed by Hamas had been “truly sickening”.

Sir Ed said his party “stand with the people of Israel, and with the Jewish community, who are grieving and are afraid”.

Urging the unconditional release of all hostages, he added: “We urge the Government to finally proscribe as a terrorist organisation the funders of Hamas, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.”

When asked by Sir Ed about the World Health Organisation’s fears that Israel may be in breach of international humanitarian law following the evacuation of hospitals, Rishi Sunak replied: “Well, unlike Hamas the Israeli president has said the Israeli armed forces will operate in accordance with international law.”

He added that Hamas was using local populations as “human shields”, and said Israel must take “every possible precaution” while exercising its absolute right to defend itself.

She told MPs: “The attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists was barbaric. Terrorists must be defeated, whoever they are, wherever they are.”

Commending Mr Sunak’s response, Mrs May continued: “Will he commit today that the Government will leave no stone unturned in its efforts to prevent regional escalation of conflict, and in doing so will he reflect of the role of Iran?” 

The Prime Minister replied: “I can give her that reassurance, it’s something that we’ve discussed extensively with partners in the region but also why last week I deployed a surveillance aircraft and assets to the region.”

The Prime Minister said in response to Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader:

The honourable gentleman opposite is absolutely right – this House stands united. It stands united in saying that we condemn unequivocally this terrorist attack by Hamas, stand united in saying that we will be steadfast in our support for Israel, steadfast in our support for the Jewish people, not just today, not just tomorrow, but always.Israel was “the victim of terrorism on an unimaginable scale” last Saturday, Sir Keir Starmer told the Commons.

The Labour leader said: “The senseless murder of men, women, children, even babies, the horrors of hostage-taking, music festivals turned into killing fields, innocent Jews slaughtered within their own kibbutz, an attack with no cause other than bloodshed.

“I am sure that over the last few days, every member of this House has seen images from this crisis that will never be unseen, tiny bodies wrapped in bundles in Israel and now in Gaza, mothers and fathers grieving, Israeli, Palestinian, Muslim, Jew. The innocent, dead.

“As in any time of grave crisis it is crucial that this House speaks with one voice in condemnation of terror, in support for Israel in its time of agony and for the dignity of all human life, because Hamas do not wish to see peace in the Middle East. They just want to see Israel wiped off the map. But Hamas are not the Palestinian people, and the Palestinian people are not Hamas.

“So Labour stands with Israel, Britain stands with Israel. The attack is ongoing, terrorists are at large, hostages are still being held, some of them still British citizens. Israel has the right to bring her people home, to defend itself, to keep her people safe, and while Hamas has the capability to carry out attacks on Israeli territory, there can be no safety.”

Sir Keir added that Israel’s defence “must be conducted in accordance with international law”, insisting humanitarian corridors must be accessible and civilians must not be targeted.

Rishi Sunak said that he was “proud that we are a longstanding and significant provider of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people”. 

The Prime Minister told MPs: “And I can announce today that we are increasing our aid by a third with an additional £10million of support. 

“An acute humanitarian crisis is unfolding to which we must respond. We must support the Palestinian people because they are victims of Hamas too.” UK will ‘support absolutely Israel’s right to defend itself’, says Sunak.

Rishi Sunak said that the Hamas attacks on Israel represented a “fundamental challenge to any idea of co-existence which is an essential precursor to peace and stability in the region”.

The Prime Minister said that we “must support absolutely Israel’s right to defend itself”. 

He also said that there needed to be a recognition that in Hamas, Israel faces a “vicious enemy that embeds itself behind civilians”. 

In a message to the Jewish community, Rishi Sunak told the House of Commons: “This atrocity was an existential strike at the very idea of Israel as a safe homeland for the Jewish people. 

“I understand why it has shaken you to your core and I am sickened that anti-Semitic incidents have increased since the attack. 

“We are doing everything that we can to protect you.”

Sunak: At least six British citizens killed in Hamas attacks

The Prime Minister said of the Hamas attacks on Israel that “we should call it by its name, it was a pogrom.”

Mr Sunak called for the “immediate release of all hostages” as he told MPs: “We stand with Israel.”

The Prime Minister told the Commons that “at least six British citizens were killed, a further 10 are missing, some of whom are feared to be among the dead”.

The Prime Minister was given a warm welcome by Tory MPs as he entered the chamber.

The House of Commons is now steadily filling up ahead of Rishi Sunak’s statement to MPs on the situation in Israel and Gaza. 

Rishi Sunak will deliver his statement on the situation in Israel and Gaza from 3.30pm, the House of Commons has confirmed. 

The Prime Minister’s statement will be followed by statements from his Cabinet colleagues on prison capacity, HS2 and net zero in what is shaping up to be a busy first afternoon back in Westminster for MPs following the party conference recess.

Keir Starmer to place Lords reform on hold

Rishi Sunak will provide the latest update about British nationals in Gaza this afternoon, Downing Street said, but warned the situation was “fast-moving and complicated”.

The Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman said: “We know that several British nationals sadly have been killed. Others are missing. You can expect the Prime Minister to provide the latest possible updates on this in his statement later today.

“In the meantime we are assisting families and our thoughts are with those who are facing unimaginable uncertainty and fear because of these despicable attacks.”

Rishi Sunak warned that “support and glorification of Hamas is illegal”. 

The Prime Minister also told broadcasters that it had been made “crystal clear” to police what is acceptable and what is not when it comes to expressing support for Palestinians. 

Asked where the line was between protesting for Palestinians and supporting Hamas, Mr Sunak said: “Well, Hamas is a proscribed terrorist organisation. It is very clear under the law that support and glorification of Hamas is illegal and those offences are punishable with up to almost 14 years in jail. 

“The police have that guidance. They know that. That is why I met with them specifically last week in advance of this weekend’s protests to make sure they were crystal clear about what was okay and what is not okay.

“But it is not just about Hamas. More broadly, actions that incite violence or stir up religious hatred and racial violence are also not acceptable.”

Rishi Sunak said there is “no place in our society for anti-Semitism and we will do everything we can to stamp it out” as he talked to broadcasters during a visit to a Jewish school in north London this morning.  

He said: “I have come to this Jewish school this morning specifically to demonstrate my solidarity with the Jewish community here in the UK and let them know that we are going to do everything in our power to keep them safe.

“Last week I met with the Community Security Trust and police chiefs, we have provided more funding for the CST, that is the organisation that helps keep schools, synagogues and other Jewish community institutions safe. 

“We spent time with the police to make sure they have all the tools, powers and guidance they need to police protests over the weekend appropriately and strike that right balance. Iyt is a difficult job but I am grateful to them for everything that they have done.” 

He added: “I am determined to ensure that our Jewish community is able to feel safe on our streets. There is no place in our society for anti-Semitism and we will do everything we can to stamp it out and where it happens it will be met with the full force of the law.”

Rishi Sunak delivered a statement to MPs in the House of Commons on the situation in Israel. 

Downing Street said the Prime Minister will reiterate “the UK’s total condemnation of Hamas’ attack and setting out the Government’s approach to the developing crisis”