UK Labour leader: Strike on Gaza hospital 'cannot be justified'

In what many have called a change in tone, Labour leader Keir Starmer has said Israel’s attack on the Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza is “absolutely devastating and cannot be justified”, saying “international law must be upheld”.

This comes following  the deadly bombing of the hospital in Gaza City by the Israeli army. More than 500 people were killed in the Israeli air strike on the hospital last night. Footage on social media showed bodies scattered across the hospital grounds.

Last week, however, when Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant called Palestinians “human animals” and ordered a full siege on Gaza, cutting off water, food and fuel supplies, human rights lawyer Starmer said Israel “had a right to defend itself” so such actions did not contravene international humanitarian laws and did not constitute possible war crimes.

In a tweet yesterday, however, he said: “Hospitals and civilian lives must be protected.”

The scenes of hundreds killed at the Al-Ahli Arabi Baptist hospital in Gaza are absolutely devastating and cannot be justified.

International law must be upheld.

Hospitals and civilian lives must be protected.

— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) October 17, 2023

On Monday, the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) issued Starmer, Shadow Attorney General for England and Wales Emily Thornberry and Shadow Defence Secretary David Lammy with a notice of intention to prosecute UK politicians for their role in aiding and abetting Israel’s perpetration of war crimes.

READ: Turkiye strongly condemns barbaric attack on hospital in Gaza