Israel rebukes UK government for failing to address October 7 in Gaza aid criticism

An Israeli government spokesperson has hit back at criticism from the British government that the country is not doing enough to get aid into Gaza.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy posted on Monday on social media that the UK along with France and Germany had “written to the Israeli government to urge action on the unacceptable humanitarian situation in Gaza”.

Oren Marmorstein, a spokesperson for Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel responded on Tuesday that Israel was “facilitating the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip and does not impose any restrictions on the quantity of aid entering the Strip. However, within the Gaza Strip, international organisations are failing to distribute the aid due to looting by Hamas, among other reasons.”

He added that it was: “disappointing that the Foreign Ministers of the E3 [UK, France, Germany} failed to address the October 7 massacre and the daily attacks on Israeli civilians since then in their letter.”

“Israel will continue to defend itself and its citizens, always in accordance with international law”, he added

And went on to say that the letter “will be answered through the proper official channels (not via Twitter).”

Foreign Secretary David Lammy had been criticised by some for – just a few hours before sending his critical tweet – posing for a photo with Mandy Damari, whose 28-year-old daughter Emily is being held hostage by Hamas.

The UK’s lack of focus on the plight of the 101 hostages held by Hamas was something Damari criticised in a speech at Labour Friends of Israel’s annual dinner yesterday.

She said the government’s decision to back a UN Security Council resolution calling for an unconditional ceasefire that was not tied to the release of hostages would “leave Emily and the other hostages in the hands of Hamas. Giving them no incentive to ever release them”.

She added that the vote on the resolution, which was rejected following a veto by the United States, shocked her and broke her heart. “There will be no peace until Emily and all the hostages are brought home”, she told the 550 guest.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who was a keynote speaker at the pro-Israel group’s event, said following Damari’s speech that: “There is no ceasefire worthy of the name, which does not, as item number one include the return of all the hostages. That is what we are working for, day and night.”