Dame Judi Dench, Malala and Stanley Tucci are amongst one other 100 well-known names who’ve added their signatures to a letter urging Sir Keir Starmer to “end the UK’s complicity” in Gaza.
Dua Lipa, Benedict Cumberbatch and Gary Lineker have been among the many celebrities to additionally urge the PM to make use of all accessible means to make sure full humanitarian entry and dealer a right away and everlasting ceasefire.
Celebrities and activists additionally learn out all of the names of youngsters killed in Gaza in entrance of parliament.
However three weeks later, they are saying nothing has modified and Gaza has change into a “secondary” warfront to Iran after Israel attacked nuclear and navy websites in Iran final Friday, initiating a full-blown battle between the 2 international locations.
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Dua Lipa, Gary Lineker and Benedict Cumberbatch signed the letter in Could. Pics: PA
Different new signatories embody actors Florence Pugh and Russell Tovey, Dr Who star Ncuti Gatwa, singer Paolo Nutini, creator Michael Rosen, musician Paul Weller, Little Combine members Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall, broadcaster Fearne Cotton, Recreation of Thrones actress Carice van Houten, Harry Potter actress Bonnie Wright and ex-England rugby captain Chris Robshaw.
The letter urges Sir Keir to “take immediate action to end the UK’s complicity in the horrors of Gaza”, and says youngsters are ravenous “while food and medicine sit just minutes away”, in reference to Israel blocking help into the territory.
It says 71,000 youngsters beneath 4 are “acutely malnourished” and those that survive hunger “wake up to bombs falling on them”, with greater than 15,000 youngsters killed within the battle to date.
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Ncuti Gatwa, who performs Dr Who, has signed the letter. Pic: Reuters
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Actress Florence Pugh has additionally signed the letter. Pic: Reuters
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Actor Russell Tovey is a signatory too. Pic: Reuters
“Violence stamped with UK inaction – flown with parts shipped from British factories to Israel – could be obliterating families in seconds,” the letter provides.
“You can’t call it ‘intolerable’, yet do nothing.
“Each second this continues, is one other second youngsters die on our watch.
“History is written in moments of moral clarity. This is one. The world is watching and history will not forget. The children of Gaza cannot wait another minute.
“Prime minister, what is going to you select? Complicity in struggle crimes, or the braveness to behave?”
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1:40
Steve Coogan: It has to cease
What has Starmer mentioned and achieved about Gaza?
In September, the UK suspended about 30 arms export licences to Israel, however authorities export licensing figures from Could present the UK permitted licences for £127.6m value of navy tools from October to December 2024 – greater than the full between 2020 and 2023.
For the reason that first letter was despatched, Sir Keir has known as Israel’s actions in Gaza – each the blockade of help and strikes – “appalling and intolerable”.
A few of his personal MPs are pressuring him to take additional motion towards Israel and name the 20-month struggle – which began when Hamas killed 1,195 folks in Israel and took 250 hostage – a genocide, however he has not used these phrases.
On 10 June, the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway sanctioned far-right Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich over “repeated incitements of violence against Palestinian civilians”.
They’re banned from coming into the UK and are actually topic to a freeze on UK property and director disqualifications.
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0:54
Gaza disaster ‘acute’ and persevering with
Final week, Sir Keir mentioned extra RAF jets, together with Typhoons and air-to-air refuelers, have been being despatched to the Center East after Israel and Iran attacked one another.
Josie Naughton, co-founder and CEO of Select Love, mentioned: “Since we urged the government to end its complicity in the horrors of Gaza, more people have added their voice to our call. We cannot be silent while children are being killed and families are being starved.
“It took us 18 hours to learn the 15,613 names of youngsters identified to be killed in Gaza. Each single one in every of them was somebody’s entire universe. Each one in every of them deserved higher.
“The situation is changing by the second, but until the UK government has halted all arms sales and licences to Israel, ensured that humanitarian aid can reach people starving inside Gaza and stopped the killing, they will not have done enough.
“Historical past will keep in mind how we acted on this second. We beg Keir Starmer to finish the UK’s complicity in these horrors.”
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A authorities spokesperson mentioned: “We strongly oppose the expansion of military operations in Gaza and call on the Israeli government to cease its offensive and immediately allow for unfettered access to humanitarian aid.
“The denial of important humanitarian help to the civilian inhabitants in Gaza is unacceptable and dangers breaching worldwide humanitarian regulation.”
The spokesperson added: “Final 12 months, we suspended export licences to Israel for gadgets utilized in navy operations in Gaza and proceed to refuse licences for navy items that may very well be utilized by Israel within the present battle.
“We urge all parties to urgently agree a ceasefire agreement and work towards a permanent and sustainable peace.”
