Sunak calls for inquiry into Gaza aid worker deaths

Rishi Sunak has called for an independent investigation into the killing of seven aid workers by an Israeli strike in Gaza.

The prime minister told the Sun the deaths, which included three British men, were “an awful tragedy”.

He said the UK wanted to see “a dramatic increase in the amount of aid getting into Gaza”.

But the PM stopped short of saying British arms sales to Israel should be suspended.

Former national security advisor Lord Ricketts told the BBC on Wednesday that such a move would send a “powerful message” and encourage a similar debate in the United States.

“I think there’s abundant evidence now that Israel hasn’t been taking enough care to fulfil its obligations on the safety of civilians.” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

“A country that gets arms from the UK has to comply with international humanitarian law – that’s a condition of the arms export licence. I think that time has come to send that signal.”

Britons John Chapman, James Henderson and James Kirby, who were all military veterans, were working alongside food aid charity World Central Kitchen as security and safety advisors when their convoy was attacked from the air on Monday.

The other individuals killed in the strike were aid workers Lalzawmi “Zomi” Frankcom, an Australian national, American-Canadian dual citizen Jacob Flickinger, Polish national Damian Sobol and Palestinian Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the attack as unintended and “tragic”, promising an independent investigation.

Paying tribute to those killed, Mr Sunak said: “To think these were brave Brits who were risking their lives to bring aid to people in need in Gaza… to have lost their lives in these circumstances is a tragedy. My thoughts obviously are with their families.”

The prime minister said he called for a “thorough transparent investigation into what happened”, when he spoke to Mr Netanyahu on Tuesday evening.

Asked if he backed calls for arms sales to Israel to be suspended, the prime minister said: “We’ve always had a very careful export licensing regime that we adhere to. There are a set of rules regulations and procedures that we’ll always follow.

“And I’ve been consistently clear with Prime Minister Netanyahu since the start of this conflict that whilst of course we defend Israel’s right to defend itself and it’s people against attacks from Hamas, they have to do that in accordance with humanitarian law, protect civilian lives, get more aid into Gaza.”

Arms export licences cannot be granted if there is a clear risk the weapons could be used in a serious violation of international humanitarian law.

The Liberal Democrats and the Scottish National Party (SNP) are among those calling for arms sales to Israel to be halted.

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey said: “The deaths of these British aid workers in Gaza is an absolute disgrace. These brave people were trying to help starving families in Gaza.

“Clearly, the thought that British-made arms could have been used in strikes such as these is completely unacceptable.”

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn said Parliament should be recalled from its current Easter break, ending on 15 April, to debate whether arms sales to Israel should be stopped.

Last week a cross-party group of more than 130 MPs and peers wrote to Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron calling for an immediate suspension of export licenses for arms sales to Israel.

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves called on the government to publish any advice it has received about exporting arms to Israel.

Asked whether there was a case for the UK to halt arms exports, she said: “We have urged the government to urgently publish any reports that they have on the abidance with international law.

“The international law is clear that where arms sales are at risk of being used for purposes not consistent with international law, they shouldn’t happen.

“That is why now we are asking the government to urgently publish the evidence that they have.”

More than 32,900 people have been killed in Gaza since the start of the war.

Israel launched its military operation in the territory after Hamas gunmen attacked southern Israel on 7 October, killing about 1,200 people and seizing 253 hostages.