Labour has demanded an "immediate humanitarian ceasefire" in Gaza for the first time in an attempt to prevent what appears to be the biggest rebellion against Keir Starmer since he became party leader.
The party leadership has been under pressure to support an immediate end to the fighting in Gaza, as Starmer had only previously called for a "sustainable ceasefire" or "humanitarian pauses."
Labour Demands Immediate Ceasefire in Gaza
Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy said the situation has evolved and is now "intolerable" since the fighting started three months ago.
Lammy told broadcasters, "We have set down a motion calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. That's because the situation now in Gaza is intolerable with a dramatic loss of life, with so many people facing starvation."
He said the position is in line with the UK's Five Eyes allies, including Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and the United States, which demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza last week.
Labour has clarified its stance on the ceasefire, but it is unclear how this has resulted in a significant shift in opinion.
When questioned about the difference between Labour's previous stance, which said that a ceasefire had to be "sustainable" with certain conditions, Lammy responded that an immediate humanitarian ceasefire requires both sides to lay down their arms.
He claimed that a political solution must be outlined to demand the release of the hostages. He continued that the motion would talk about an immediate humanitarian ceasefire but also outline the conditions that must be met before that could happen.
Furthermore, Lammy was informed that although Labour is forcing Israel to surrender its weapons while hostages are still being held captive, Hamas is unlikely to respond to the call.
The motion is an amendment to the SNP's motion calling for an immediate ceasefire, scheduled for discussion in the Commons tomorrow. The SNP and Labour now hold quite similar positions, although Labour's amendment places more emphasis on the role of Hamas as well as Israel in achieving a lasting ceasefire.
However, the speaker could not call for the amendment, and the government has now set its own wording, which could remove Labour's efforts from the order paper.
The government's amendment maintains its current position, calling for an immediate humanitarian pause as the best way to stop the fighting and to get aid in and hostages out.
The Prince of Wales called for a halt to the fighting in Gaza in a rare intervention, which prompted Labour to change its stance.
US Warns Israel Against Rafah Offensive
In New York, the US has proposed a UN Security Council resolution urging for a temporary ceasefire and opposing a ground offensive in Rafah.
The US has not previously used the term "ceasefire," but international pressure on Israel has increased amid concerns about an incursion in the southern Gazan city.
The draft document marks the first time the US has openly supported a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict. However, it adds that the temporary truce should start "as soon as practicable," giving the Israeli military considerable leeway.
The Biden administration will provide the text as an alternative to an Algerian draft resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire scheduled for discussion on Tuesday.
