Starmer calls for Middle East ceasefire as world marks anniversary of October 7 massacre which sparked war
6 October 2024, 22:31 | Updated: 7 October 2024, 05:26
Sir Keir Starmer says that Brits must "stand with the Jewish community" as he reiterated calls for ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon on the anniversary of the October 7 massacre in Israel.
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Sir Keir described October 7 2023 as "the darkest day in Jewish history since the Holocaust" and said that "collective grief has not diminished" in the year since.
"Over a thousand people were brutally murdered. Men, women, children and babies killed, mutilated, and tortured by the terrorists of Hamas. Jewish people murdered whilst protecting their families, young people massacred at a music festival, people abducted from their homes," the Prime Minister said.
Read More: Israel steps up bombardment of Gaza and Lebanon on eve of October 7 anniversary
"Agonising reports of rape, torture and brutality beyond comprehension which continued to emerge days and weeks later.
"As a father, a husband, a son, a brother - meeting the families of those who lost their loved ones last week was unimaginable. Their grief and pain are ours, and it is shared in homes across the land.
"A year on, that collective grief has not diminished or waned."
Continuing in his statement, Sir Keir said: "One year on from these horrific attacks we must unequivocally stand with the Jewish community and unite as a country. We must never look the other way in the face of hate.
"We must also not look the other way as civilians bear the ongoing dire consequences of this conflict in the Middle East. I reiterate my call for immediate ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon, and for the removal of all restrictions on humanitarian aid into Gaza."
On Sunday, groups of Jewish and Muslim women came together to mark the anniversary and to help "stop the hate on (Britain's) streets".
Six Muslim and six Jewish women met at St John's Church in Waterloo to talk about the impact the conflict in the Middle East is having on communities in the UK.
As Israel prepares to mark the anniversary of its darkest day, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the West that waning support for his nation would embolden Iran's "axis of evil".
The controversial leader said: “Israel expects its friends to stand behind it and not impose restrictions that will only strengthen the Iranian axis of evil.
“Israel’s actions against Hezbollah are creating an opportunity to change the reality in Lebanon in favour of stability, security and peace in the entire region," Mr Netanyahu insisted in the call on Sunday.
