By Burak Bir
LONDON (AA) – More than 150 Muslim councilors from the UK's main opposition Labour Party on Wednesday called on the party leadership to call for an immediate cease-fire in the Israel-Palestine conflict.
"As a party that bases its principles on fairness and justice, we cannot sit idly by as Palestinians face collective punishment, said a letter signed by the councilors.
The letter was published by Labour Muslim Network (LMN), an inclusive organization that seeks to promote British Muslim engagement with the Labour Party.
"We urge the Labour Party to urgently adopt a position of calling for an immediate cease-fire, calling on the UK government and the international community to act upon this proposal to save innocent human lives," the letter added.
They also stressed that hostages held captive must be returned to their families.
The Labour Party has seen a series of resignations from councilors after its leader Keir Starmer said in controversial remarks that Israel had the "right" to cut power and water supplies to Palestinians living in Gaza. The remarks sparked controversy among the party.
Israel launched a relentless bombardment campaign on Gaza following a surprise attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, putting the enclave’s residents under total siege and a blockade of food, fuel, and medical supplies. Aid supplies have since started to trickle in, but at levels far below the public need.
Nearly 8,000 people have been killed in the conflict, including at least 6,546 Palestinians and 1,400 Israelis.