15 August 2024, 18:36 | Updated: 15 August 2024, 23:44
Picture:
Getty
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy is travelling to Israel to hold talks with Benjamin Netanyahu as fears of a regional war in the Middle East grow.
The foreign secretary is making the trip alongside his French counterpart Stephane Sejourne to advocate for a ceasefire.
It comes in a bid to “prevent all-out war in the Middle East”, a diplomatic source said.
The pair will meet with Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz during the trip, as well as the minister of strategic affairs of Israel, Ron Dermer.
Read more: Hamas confirm they will not join ceasefire talks with Israel this week
“This is a dangerous moment for the Middle East. The risk of the situation spiralling out of control is rising. Any Iranian attack would have devastating consequences for the region,” Mr Lammy said.
“The UK and France are united in our commitment to secure a lasting peace for Israelis, Palestinians and the wider region.
“There can be no delays or excuses. All parties must engage seriously in negotiations on a ceasefire deal. This is a vital opportunity to secure the release of hostages and an immediate surge in aid into Gaza.
“Only with diplomacy can we end the current destructive cycle of retaliatory violence. Only with diplomacy can we deliver long-term peace and security for all. That is the message we will be taking with us to the region.”
Tom Swarbrick reacts: David Lammy will travel to Israel ‘in attempt to prevent all out war in the Middle East’
Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné said: “It’s never too late for peace. We must at all costs avoid a regional war, which would have terrible consequences. We must secure a ceasefire agreement and the release of the all the hostages.
“France and the United Kingdom support the efforts of the American, Egyptian and Qatari mediators to achieve this. This is why the two ministers Stéphane Sejourné and David Lammy have decided to visit Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories together, in order to convey these key messages.
“We have been mobilised for several weeks to call on all parties to show restraint and responsibility, any miscalculation in the current situation could provoke a generalised conflagration.”
Israel’s foreign ministry confirmed the visit in a statement on Thursday evening.
The ministry said ministers are “expected to discuss the effort to prevent regional escalation and promote a deal for the release of the Israeli hostages”.
“Foreign minister Israel Katz is expected to raise at the meeting the need to promote severe economic sanctions against Iran on the issue of nuclear weapons, missiles and drones, and to declare the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation,” it said in a statement.
This visit comes as the US and Israel are locked in talks to end the assault on Gaza, which has led to the deaths of 40,000 Palestinians since October, according to Hamas.
Picture:
Getty
The talks, which are taking place in Doha, Qatar, began on Thursday and come amid fears of an Iranian strike on Israel in retaliation to a series of political assassinations.
Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, today, Mr Lammy said: “These talks are an opportunity to secure an immediate ceasefire and the release of hostages.
“It is in the long-term interests of Israelis, Palestinians and the wider region to agree this deal urgently.
“I thank Qatar, Egypt and the US for their ongoing efforts in co-ordinating this vital work, at what is a critical time for security and stability across the Middle East.”
Earlier this week, Hamas confirmed it had no intention to take part in this round of ceasefire talks, following the assassination of its political leader in Iran.
Picture:
Getty
Representative Ahmad Abdul Hadi said Hamas was not against ceasefire talks “in principle” but would not enter discussions without “clear commitment” from Israel that a deal would be agreed.
Mr Hadi slammed Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claiming he “is not interested in reaching an agreement that ends the aggression completely”.
“Rather he is deceiving and evading and wants to prolong the war, and even expand it at the regional level, and thus he uses negotiations as a cover to continue his aggression against our people and commit more massacres against them,” he added.The last month has seen representatives from Qatar, Egypt and the US frantically working to find a ceasefire agreement as fears of a regional conflict in the Middle East rise.
Any deal is expected to come in the form of a three-phase plan, which would include the return of all Israeli hostages held in Gaza.