UK foreign secretary to urge regional leaders for 'sustainable ceasefire in Gaza' in MidEast visit

By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal

LONDON (AA) – UK's Foreign Secretary David Cameron will visit the Middle East and Türkiye to “urge regional leaders to work with the UK to achieve a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza,” an official statement said Wednesday.

A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office statement said Cameron, who is travelling to the region for the third time in the last two months, will seek support for the release of hostages and to “reach a sustainable, permanent ceasefire.”

“The Foreign Secretary travels to the Middle East and Turkey this week where he will urge regional leaders to work with the UK to achieve a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza, so that Israelis and Palestinians can build a peaceful future together,” it said.

“No-one wants to see this conflict go on a moment longer than necessary. An immediate pause is now necessary to get aid in and hostages out. The situation is desperate,” Cameron said ahead of his trip to the region.

“This week I am in the Middle East working with partners to help build a plan to move from that pause to a sustainable, permanent ceasefire without a return to hostilities.”

Cameron added that “such a plan would require Hamas to agree to the release of all hostages, Hamas to no longer be in charge of Gaza launching rocket attacks at Israel, and an agreement in place for the Palestinian Authority to return to Gaza in order to provide governance and services and, increasingly, security.”

Cameron will visit Israel to speak to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Katz, “calling for more to be done, more quickly to significantly increase the flow of life-saving aid into Gaza.”

“He is also expected to raise UK concerns over the high number of civilian causalities.”

Cameron will “reiterate that more crossing points need to be open for longer for aid deliveries to Gaza, including the port at Ashdod and the Kerem Shalom crossing, and that water, fuel and electricity must be restored during his meetings.”

He will also meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and “will highlight the UK’s long-term support for a two-state solution so that Israelis and Palestinians can live side-by-side in peace.”

Cameron will later go to Qatar and Türkiye, the statement said.