Britain did not support UN resolution on Gaza as it failed to condemn Hamas: Minister

LONDON

The UK did not support a recent UN resolution requesting an urgent humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza because "there was no condemnation of Hamas," a minister said Monday.

Taking lawmakers' questions in parliament, Andrew Mitchell, minister for international development and Africa, said Britain felt unable to support the resolution in which 13 members of the Security Council voted “yes” and the UK abstained. The US vetoed the resolution.

"There was a lot of good stuff in the resolution which Britain does support, but there was no condemnation of (the Palestinian group) Hamas. And for that reason, we felt unable to support it," he said.

"But we did not oppose it, because it has a lot of very useful and important stuff in it, and therefore we abstained," he added.

Saying the situation in Gaza "cannot continue," Mitchell noted that the scale of civilian deaths and displacement in Gaza is "shocking."

"Although Israel has the right to defend itself against terror, restore security and bring the hostages home, it must abide by international law and take all possible measures to protect civilians," he noted.

Expressing the UK's position on calling for further and longer humanitarian pauses in Gaza, he reiterated Britain’s stance on making progress towards a two-state solution, "a negotiated settlement leading to a safe and secure Israel living alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state."

Asked when the UK will join many other countries calling for a permanent cease-fire in the besieged enclave, Mitchell recalled that they support pauses but not a cease-fire, defining it as "wholly implausible."

'Gaza should be under Palestinian control'

On the Israeli attacks, Mitchell reiterated the UK's support for “Israel's right to defend itself" but added that all of the parties must abide by international humanitarian law.

"We continue to identify and look for mechanisms for ensuring that there can be no impunity in that respect, and that there will be transparency over the actions that the forces take."

Saying that "Gaza should be under Palestinian control," he added that "Hamas has no place" in the future of Gaza.

Israel has bombarded the Gaza Strip from the air and land, imposed a siege and mounted a ground offensive in retaliation for a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7.

At least 18,205 Palestinians have been killed and 49,645 others injured in the Israeli onslaught since then, according to Gaza’s health authorities.

The Israeli death toll in the Hamas attack stood at 1,200, according to official figures.

Asked about initiatives to impose sanctions on convicted Israeli settlers, Mitchell said Foreign Secretary David Cameron discussed the issue with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, noting that "it may be possible to say something about that shortly."

"The government has always made it absolutely clear that the settlements are illegal under international law," he added.

Tensions have been running high across the West Bank amid an Israeli military offensive on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7.

At least 275 Palestinians have been killed and 3,730 others detained in the occupied territory since then, according to Palestinian figures.