MPs grill David Lammy over UK support for Israel's campaign in Gaza

In a Foreign Affairs Select Committee hearing this afternoon, Foreign Secretary David Lammy was questioned by MPs Emily Thornberry, Uma Kumaran, and Richard Foord over the UK government’s position on the Israeli plan to establish a so-called "humanitarian city" in Rafah; a plan that would see 600,000 Palestinians forcibly relocated into a militarily controlled encampment.

Lammy is pressed on whether he has been briefed on Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz’s recent statements outlining the camp's construction on the ruins of Rafah, its perimeter controlled by Israeli forces, and reports that Palestinians would be screened and barred from leaving once inside. Thornberry challenges the Foreign Secretary to clarify whether the UK will oppose the scheme and whether any British entities will be involved.

The committee also raises the UK’s role in arms export licenses and its involvement in the global F-35 spare parts supply chain. Lammy defends the government’s decision not to suspend participation in the F-35 programme, despite pressure and legal concerns about its potential use in Gaza. He insists the UK remains compliant with international humanitarian law and that British courts have upheld the current approach.

In addition, Lammy offers insights into the fragile progress toward a potential ceasefire, revealing ongoing discussions between the US, Qatar, Israel, and Hamas, but warns that IDF positioning in Gaza remains a major obstacle.

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