Ministers faced calls from a succession of MPs - including Bradford West's Naz Shah - to support a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict in order to “end the bloodshed” in Gaza.

Labour and Conservative MPs urged the Government to back a ceasefire rather than humanitarian pauses it and the Labour frontbench favour.

Zarah Sultana, the Labour MP for Coventry South, urged ministers to “finally do what is right and demand an immediate ceasefire to end the bloodshed”.

She told the Commons: “More than 10,000 Palestinians have been slaughtered in Israel’s assault, nearly half of whom are children. It would take nearly six hours to read the names and ages of every child killed so far but this horror has been given the green light by this Government.

“So today I tabled an amendment to the King’s Speech calling for an immediate ceasefire, a move backed by 76% of the British public.”

The amendment to the King’s Speech debate was backed by leading figures from the Labour left, including John McDonnell and Rebecca Long-Bailey, as well as former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

It claims the legislative agenda set out in the speech “fails to include measures to ensure the Government upholds international humanitarian law and protect civilians in Israel and Palestine”.

Ms Sultana said: “I ask the minister: will the Government finally do what is right and demand an immediate ceasefire to end the bloodshed?”

Foreign Office minister Andrew Mitchell said: “While she is eloquent on the effects, she is not so eloquent, in my opinion, on the causes.

“In respect of the amendment which she has tabled, of course that is a matter for the House but it will not be supported by the Government nor by her own frontbench.”

Labour MP for Bradford West Naz Shah, meanwhile, wiped at her eyes with a tissue in the Commons shortly after telling MPs of the plight of children in Gaza and calling on the UK to “ramp up its effort to end the bloodshed”.

Ms Shah, who is a shadow Home Office minister but was speaking from the backbenches, said “every day we see footage of heartbreaking stories” of children in Gaza.

The MP was emotional as she described footage of children caught up in the conflict, some believing they had died and others preparing for death, others holding a press conference “to call on the world to let them live”.

Ms Shah asked: "Minister, when will the UK ramp up its effort to end the bloodshed and ensure that Palestinian children just have the right to live?"

Mr Mitchell replied: "The hon. Lady speaks with the greatest possible eloquence. She speaks for the whole House in saying that what is happening to children in Gaza appals us all. I just ask her to consider the wider context, accept that the Government understand and agree with her analysis of the plight of children in Gaza, and will do everything within the wider context to try to bring that to an end."

Holly Lynch, Labour MP for Halifax, said: "My hon. Friend the Member for Bradford West (Naz Shah) set out in the most powerful way why the deaths and trauma experienced by innocent children in Gaza are utterly intolerable.

"The supply of basic utilities such as water, medicine, electricity and fuel needed to operate the hospitals in Gaza should not be blocked. It is unacceptable that siege conditions are still being imposed on Gaza by Israel. Can the Minister confirm that he agrees, and what has he done to communicate that to Israel as a matter of urgency?

Mr Mitchell replied: "The Government at every level are engaged in those discussions with the state of Israel. The hon. Lady lists a number of humanitarian supplies that need to get through, and Britain is at the forefront of the international community in doing everything we can to ensure both that they do get through, and that there are sufficient supplies in the region."

Paul Bristow, the Tory MP for Peterborough recently sacked as a ministerial aide after calling for a ceasefire, spoke about a constituent from Gaza who has lost contact with his family after their home in the Palestinian territory was destroyed.

He said: “How much longer do we have to wait until this suffering ends and humanitarian aid can reach people like my constituent’s family?”

Meanwhile, Conservative MP for Bolton North East Mark Logan said his Muslim constituents have felt “very aggrieved over the last month”.

He said: “My constituents through the Bolton Council of Mosques have called repeatedly for ceasefires. I will be meeting them again tomorrow night. I would just like to see from our Government’s perspective what criteria would have to be met to call for a ceasefire.”

There was no direct answer from Mr Mitchell but the minister earlier agreed Hamas has “no intention” of engaging in a ceasefire.

Conservative former cabinet minister David Davis told the Commons: “Those who call for a ceasefire must recognise that Hamas is a terrorist organisation and, as was said by (DUP MP Sammy Wilson) yesterday, terrorist organisations only go to ceasefires when they suit their own regrouping – not to end violence.”

Mr Mitchell said: “He is absolutely right and for those who call for a ceasefire, of course we all recognise the motivation and why they are doing it. But at this time, in this situation, it is perfectly clear that Hamas has no intention of engaging in a ceasefire.

“Indeed, they have repeatedly made clear that their intention is to repeat the awful events of October 7. So, I agree entirely with his understanding and his prediction of the situation.”

 

 

 

Naz Shah (Bradford West) (Lab) The United Nations Secretary-General has said: “Gaza is becoming a graveyard for children.”

More than 4,000 children have been killed since the start of the conflict. Every day we see footage of heartbreaking stories; I watched a small girl being pulled out of the rubble, asking her uncle if she was dead and whether he was taking her to a graveyard. Another video showed a girl of barely five stuck under a collapsed building, praying her final prayers in preparation for her death. At their age, children should be asking whether they are going to a playground, to buy an ice cream or any of those usual things, not whether they are going to a graveyard or preparing for their death. Children outside Al-Shifa Hospital yesterday felt they needed to do a press conference to call on the world to let them live. Minister, when will the UK ramp up its effort to end the bloodshed and ensure that Palestinian children just have the right to live?

Mr Mitchell The hon. Lady speaks with the greatest possible eloquence. She speaks for the whole House in saying that what is happening to children in Gaza appals us all. I just ask her to consider the wider context, accept that the Government understand and agree with her analysis of the plight of children in Gaza, and will do everything within the wider context to try to bring that to an end.