UK premier dodges question on sending troops to Middle East

BIRMINGHAM, England

Britain’s prime minister on Wednesday dodged the question of whether British troops would be deployed on the ground in the Middle East.

Asked in the House of Commons by the Scottish National Party’s Westminster leader Stephen Flynn if he is planning to deploy British forces to the region, Rishi Sunak said he cannot get into operational planning details but the UK is committed to getting more humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Flynn then asked to confirm that any decision to involve UK troops will be put to a vote in the parliament. Sunak avoided answering, saying he would not apologize for British forces supporting international aid efforts. The fastest way to end conflict is to get a hostage deal that gets hostages out and aid in, he added.

Sunak claimed that there is a workable offer on the table for a deal between Israel and Hamas, without providing any details.

Green Party lawmaker Caroline Lucas asked about a possible Israeli attack on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where she said some 1.5 million civilians are sheltering, adding that the government’s own advisers say such an attack would likely not be compliant with international humanitarian law. If Israel does attack Rafah, will Sunak then "find the moral backbone to ban arms exports to Israel,” she asked.

Sunak failed to comment on the assessments of government advisers and said Israel has the right to defend itself. He says the UK wants to see humanitarian law adhered to and Israel take greater care not to harm civilians.