The Mayor of Greater Manchester has joined calls for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Senior Labour figures, Andy Burnham, Sadiq Khan and Anas Sarwar, are piling on the pressure in a challenge to party leader Keir Starmer.
Starmer is facing a Labour split, having called for “humanitarian pauses” to allow for aid to move into Gaza but not going so far as to call for a full ceasefire.
In this, Keir Starmer is aligned with the UK Government, as well as the US and EU.
Mr Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, issued a statement this afternoon which said: “We condemn unreservedly the appalling terror attacks on innocent civilians in Israel by Hamas on October 7. We recognise that Israel has the right, within international law, to defend itself.
“We also have profound concerns about the loss of thousands of innocent lives in Gaza, the displacement of many more and the widespread suffering through the ongoing blockade.
“Given the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Gaza, the mayor, deputy mayor and 10 leaders of Greater Manchester join the growing international calls for a ceasefire by all sides and for the hostages to be released unharmed.”
Mr Khan, the Mayor of London, tweeted this morning: “I 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.
“Israel has a right to defend itself… but 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.
“There can only ever be a political resolution to achieving peace. It can’t simply be the escalation of military conflict, and an ongoing cycle of death, pain and destruction.”
Mr Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, tweeted at lunchtime: “These are dark times. Everyone will have seen the scenes of destruction and death in Israel and Palestine and will feel utterly heartbroken. We are all so desperate for peace and desperate to see the end of violence.
“And that is why we need to see the immediate release of hostages; immediate access to humanitarian supplies for Gaza; the immediate cessation of violence with an end to rocket fire.
“That means a ceasefire now. We need a proper peace process because sadly, right now, there is no peace and there is no process.”
