Khan and Sarwar demand Israel-Hamas ceasefire, adding to pressure on Starmer

The London Mayor was joined by the Scottish Labour leader in demanding an end to the conflict.

Anas Sarwar and Sadiq Khan have called for a ceasefire (Jane Barlow/Yui Mok/PA)

Sir Keir Starmer is under growing pressure to call for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas after London Mayor Sadiq Khan and the party’s leader in Scotland, Anas Sarwar, both broke ranks to challenge his stance.

Party sources made clear the Labour leader was not about to strengthen his position on Friday beyond pushing for “humanitarian pauses” to allow aid and essential supplies into Gaza, despite the demands from the senior figures.

Sir Keir is united with Rishi Sunak and the US in calling for breaks in the fighting, while supporting Tel Aviv’s right to defend itself against the militants who launched a wave of bloodshed in Israel earlier this month.

But the Labour leader has angered MPs, including some on his frontbench, for not going further and provoked a series of resignations from Labour councillors with his since-retracted support for Israel’s siege on the strip home to more than two million Palestinians.

Mr Khan, who became the first ever Muslim mayor of the capital in 2016, released a video on social media to “join the international community in calling for a ceasefire”.

“It would stop the killing and would allow vital aid supplies to reach those who need it in Gaza,” he said.

“It would also allow the international community more time to prevent a protracted conflict in the region and further devastating loss of life.

“A widespread military escalation will only deepen the humanitarian disaster. It will increase human suffering on all sides. No nation, including Israel, has the right to break international law.”

Four hours later, Mr Sarwar, who in 2021 became the UK’s first Muslim to lead a political party, made the same demand, with his own video.

“We are all so desperate for peace and are desperate to see the end of violence,” he said.

“And that is why we need to see the immediate release of hostages, immediate access to humanitarian supplies, food, medicine, electricity, water, into Gaza…

“The immediate cessation of violence, with an end of rocket fire into and out of Gaza. And let me be clear, that means a ceasefire right now.”

Mr Sarwar said there must be a “proper peace process” to allow a “safe, secure and free Palestine and a safe, secure and free Israel”.

He argued there is “no justification for the collective punishment of the people of Gaza” and said that withholding essential supplies is a breach of international law.

A widespread military escalation will only deepen the humanitarian disaster

Sadiq Khan

Shadow cabinet member Steve Reed told colleagues calling for a ceasefire he understands and empathises with them but set out why the leadership was not calling for one.

The shadow environment secretary argued that if the UK had suffered a similar atrocity “our state would have sought to defend ourselves to protect our citizens by dismantling the capability of a terrorist organisation that carried it out”.

“That applies to Israel too, they have the right under international law to do that,” he told Sky News.

“But in taking that work, they must continue to follow international law as they carry it out, but long term, the only solution to this crisis is not going to be military.”

Sir Keir has been holding meetings within his party to soothe some of the anger, including in talks with Muslim Labour MPs in Parliament on Wednesday.

They urged him during the “firm” exchange to back a ceasefire, believing the British public support the move as well.

Downing Street argues pauses, as Israel pummels Gaza with airstrikes, are needed to get evacuees out and aid in but says a ceasefire would “only serve to benefit Hamas”.

The Foreign Office has been contacted by around 200 British nationals in Gaza as officials undertake complex negotiations with both Egypt and Israel to get them free.

More than 250 Muslim Labour councillors have urged Sir Keir and deputy leader Angela Rayner to back an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza, while more than a dozen have resigned.