Scottish leader says UK's refusal to call for immediate truce in Gaza 'shameful'

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf on Friday urged the British government to use its position as a "trusted ally of the Government of Israel" to demand an end to "indiscriminate attacks" that have claimed more than 22,000 lives in Gaza.

In a statement released by his office, Yousaf stressed those responsible for killing civilians "must be held accountable."

"Ten weeks since Israel’s invasion of Gaza, the First Minister said the UK Government’s refusal to call for an immediate ceasefire is 'shameful’," said the statement.

His remarks come as the UN expressed concern that up to 1.9 million internally displaced people are moving into smaller and smaller pockets in the Gaza Strip.

"The time has come for the UK Government to speak out forcefully and make it clear that Israeli action has gone way beyond a legitimate response to the appalling Hamas attack of 7 October," he noted.

Saying that diplomatic approaches have so far "failed" to bring about any change to the current humanitarian situation, Yousaf reiterated the need for an immediate cease-fire in the besieged enclave.

"Hearing comments from an Israeli Government Minister urging displacement of Palestinians from Gaza is deeply disturbing and should be universally condemned," noted Yousaf.

- 'UK must use its influence to stop killing'

He went on to say that Gaza is an occupied Palestinian territory and will be part of a future Palestinian state and Gazans should not be subject to forcible displacement or relocation.

"The UK Government must make clear that Prime Minister Netanyahu, Israeli Ministers, and military commanders will be held accountable for the killing of thousands of innocent civilians and the deaths of tens of thousands more from starvation and disease if Israel does not immediately cease indiscriminate attacks and allow aid to enter Gaza on the scale needed to avert a humanitarian disaster," added Yousaf.

Also saying that Hamas leaders "must also be held accountable for the appalling attacks" against Israeli civilians on Oct. 7," he added: "The UK Government must use its voice and influence to stop the killing – directly with the Israeli government, and indirectly with the US."

The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNWRA) for Palestinian Refugees has warned that 40% of the population of Gaza is now at risk of famine due to “catastrophic hunger”, and the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) brief shows Gaza is experiencing a food security emergency driven by ongoing hostilities.

Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Oct. 7.

At least 22,600 Palestinians have since been killed and 57,910 others injured, according to Gaza’s health authorities, while nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.

The onslaught has left Gaza in ruins, with 60% of the enclave's infrastructure damaged or destroyed and nearly 2 million residents displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine.