An immediate ceasefire in Gaza at this time will embolden Hamas terrorists and lead to more “future violence,” Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said on Tuesday as he attempts to quell a sizable rebellion over the party’s stance on the Israel–Hamas war.
Sir Keir is supporting the Conservative government’s call for humanitarian “pauses” to allow aid to go into Gaza and hostages and foreign nationals to leave, but not a full ceasefire.
However, Labour councillors, mayors, and shadow ministers have called on the party leader to back an immediate ceasefire.
Defending the party’s stance in a speech given at an event hosted by the Chatham House, Sir Keir said while he understands calls for an immediate ceasefire, he doesn’t believe that it is the correct position at this time.
“One, because a ceasefire always freezes any conflict in the state where it currently lies. And as we speak, that would leave Hamas with the infrastructure and the capabilities to carry out the sort of attack we saw on Oct. 7,” he said.
“Attacks that are still ongoing. Hostages who should be released still held. Hamas would be emboldened and start preparing for future violence immediately.”
After Hamas killed over 1,400 people in its attacks against Israel on Oct. 7, Israel ordered a “complete siege” on Hamas-controlled Gaza, launched extensive airstrikes, and began ground assaults. The Hamas-backed Gaza Health Ministry has claimed the death toll in the enclave had risen past 8,000.
“Our efforts must respond to the two immediate tragedies,” Sir Keir said.
He called the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7 “the biggest slaughter of Jews ... since the Holocaust” and “terrorism on a scale and brutality that few countries have ever experienced,” saying it’s “an immutable fact that must drive our response to these events.”
He also said “the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza” is playing out “on a previously unimaginable scale.”
The Labour leader said Israel has a “fundamental” right to self-defence, but stressed it’s “not a blank check.”
“The supply of basic utilities like water, medicines, electricity, and yes, fuel to civilians in Gaza cannot be blocked by Israel,” he said.
“Every life matters, so every step must be taken to protect civilians from bombardment. Palestinians should not be forced to leave their homes en-mass but where they have no choice but to flee within Gaza, we need crystal clear guarantees that they will be able to return quickly,” he said.
The Labour leader previously told LBC, “I think that Israel does have that right” when asked whether “cutting off power, cutting off water” was an appropriate response by Israel, prompting a number of Labour councillors to resign from the party.
He later sought to clarify the response, saying he was referring to the “right to self defence” rather than “the right to cut off water, food, fuel, or medicines.”
Sir Keir also asserted that the international community has “continually paid lip service to a two-state solution” and vowed to work towards “the recognition of a Palestinian state as part of a negotiated, just, and lasting peace.”
The former prosecutor declined to comment on whether Israel has broken international law in its response to the Oct. 7 attack.
Israel “has to act in accordance with international law,” he said.
“As to whether each and every act is in accordance with the law that will have to be adjudicated in due course,” Sir Keir said, adding that it’s “unwise” for politicians to provide a running commentary.
“I think the call for politicians to look at half a picture on the screen without the full information and form an instant judgement as to whether it’s this side of the line or the other side of the line is extremely unwise, and I’m not going to get involved in that kind of exercise,” he said.
The Labour leader has been facing a growing rebellion over his stance on Gaza.
Starmer: Party Is Not Divided
The signs of a burgeoning front bench rebellion come after London Mayor Sadiq Khan, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar announced on Friday that they were joining the call for a ceasefire.Just ahead of Sir Keir’s speech on Tuesday, shadow justice minister Alex Cunningham joined the rebellion, calling for an immediate ceasefire on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Pressed several times on whether he will sack frontbenchers who publicly deviated from the party line, Sir Keir gave no indication that he will, but insisted he takes collective responsibility “extremely seriously.”
“We need collective responsibility, and it’s my job to ensure we do have collective responsibility,” he said, adding that it “has to be done with an eye on the context and what we are facing.”
Sir Keir said he will “do it sensitively and engaging with [his] front benches.”
He also denied that the party is divided on the issue, saying there are “differences of view” on how to achieve the “united affirmation” of a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine.
A group of protesters mobbed the Labour leader’s car as he left Chatham House.
They shouted and chanted as Sir Keir left the building to enter his vehicle.
Police officers pushed them aside, but the protesters ran at the car and drummed on the windows.
After the police cleared a path for the vehicle, protesters ran after it up the road.
