UK parliament committee urges government to recognize Palestine

The committee issued a report on the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, developments in the West Bank and displaced Palestinians.

“The Government must set out the steps it will take to recognise the state of Palestine, including conditions that need to be met and a timeline of planned actions,” it said.

The report said Israel's response to Hamas' attacks on Oct. 7, 2023, resulted in significant civilian casualties and the destruction of Gaza's civilian infrastructure.

Pointing out that the decisions by international courts pointing to the risk of violations of international law in Gaza, the report said: “We believe that there is a plausible risk that Israel’s military campaign in Gaza may have included grave violations of international humanitarian law, which has given rise to accusations of genocide.”

It also underlined the need to recognize the Palestinian state to achieve lasting and sustainable peace in the region.

The report noted that 500 aid trucks are needed daily to meet Gaza's humanitarian needs but the number has dropped to an average of 25.

It also highlighted alarming claims of drones targeting civilians following Israeli airstrikes.

Addressing Israeli actions in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, it stated that between Oct. 7, 2023, and Oct. 31, 2024, Israel demolished 1,800 structures belonging to Palestinians and killed 736 Palestinians in the same period.

The report included information about 1,722 Palestinians being displaced due to land seizures by Israelis during the stated dates.

It urged the UK government to do everything in its power to “ensure that Israel is held accountable for any ongoing breaches of international humanitarian law.”