UK pauses free-trade agreement negotiations with 'Israel' over Gaza

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy is set to announce the pausing of trade deal negotiations with 'Israel', the government said on Tuesday.

In addition, London has summoned 'Israel’s' ambassador over the expansion of military operations in Gaza.

Read more: UK sanctions 'Israeli' settlers over West Bank violence

The British Foreign Secretary has voiced strong condemnation of the worsening situation in the Gaza Strip, stating that the UK cannot stand idly by amid the ongoing crisis.

In a firm stance, he announced the suspension of free trade agreement negotiations with the 'Israeli' government, signaling serious concerns over 'Israel’s' military operations in Gaza.

He warned that if 'Israel' continues its current approach, the UK will take further steps, emphasizing the urgent need for 'Israel' to lift the blockade and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.

The Foreign Secretary criticized 'Israel’s' expansion of its military campaign, calling it morally unjustifiable and ineffective as a means to secure the release of captives. He noted that nearly all captives in Gaza have been freed through negotiations, not by force.

He also dismissed 'Israel’s' plan as incapable of eliminating Hamas or bringing lasting security.

Addressing extremist remarks by 'Israeli' politician Smotrich, who called for the “cleansing” of Gaza, he condemned the statement as dangerously extreme and brutal.

Despite ongoing British efforts, he lamented the continued harsh actions and rhetoric from the 'Israeli' government, which he said isolate 'Israel' from its friends and partners and undermine the interests of the 'Israeli' people.

Reaffirming the UK’s position, he stressed that the two-state solution remains the only framework for a just and lasting peace.

Finally, he clarified that the UK’s opposition to the expansion of the war—which has caused the deaths of thousands of children in Gaza—is not a reward to Hamas but a call for an end to the cycle of violence.