UK foreign secretary meets with Netanyahu, calls for immediate humanitarian pause

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron held crucial talks on Wednesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem.

According to a statement by the government, Cameron "explained that he wants to see an immediate humanitarian pause to get hostages out and aid in, leading to a sustainable cease-fire without a return to hostilities."

"To enable this, Hamas must agree to the release of all hostages, they could no longer be in charge in Gaza firing rockets at Israel, and an agreement must be in place for the Palestinian Authority to return to Gaza to provide governance, services and security," it said.

Underlining the imperative for a long-term political strategy, he called for a credible and irreversible pathway leading to the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel.

Addressing the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, Cameron emphasized the urgency of increasing aid to the region.

He called on Israel to open more crossing points into Gaza, extend the operation of the Nitzana and Kerem Shalom crossings, and support the United Nations in effectively distributing aid across the entirety of Gaza.

Cameron "also underlined the need for Israel to ensure effective deconfliction in Gaza and to take all possible measures to ensure the safety of medical personnel and facilities."

He also met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah, underscoring the importance of engaging all stakeholders for a comprehensive resolution.

More than 25,500 Palestinians have been confirmed killed since Israel began its war, with thousands more feared dead under the rubble amid widespread devastation. The vast majority of those who have been killed, roughly two-thirds, have been women and children.

About 85% of Gazans have been displaced, all of whom are food insecure, and the health system is collapsing. Hundreds of thousands are living without shelter and ⁠less than half of the number of aid trucks are entering the territory compared to before the conflict.