The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Rishi Sunakstressed this Tuesday that the only way to achieve a lasting ceasefire in Gaza is to pass release of the hostages still in the hands of Hamas. “It is clear that a The ceasefire will not last if the hostages are still being held. And whether Hamas, whose stated goal is the destruction of Israel, is still able to operate in underground tunnels and launch rocket attacks,” he said. Sunak during an appearance before the Liaison Committee, a parliamentary committee made up of the presidents of a dozen committees House of Commons.
The Prime Minister explained his government's decision Avoid supporting a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip – both in the British Parliament and at the United Nations – for Israel's right to defend itself against Hamas attacks and has shown Lukewarmness in condemning the numerous civilian deaths that exceed 19,000According to the Ministry of Health, the Palestinian enclave is in the hands of Hamas. Figures that far exceed the death toll in more than 30 years of conflict in Northern Ireland, as some MPs have reminded him. Sunak assured that Israel must take “every possible precaution” to prevent the deaths of innocents, but stressed that much of it Responsibility falls on Hamas for “to consciously embed oneself in the civilian population.
The British government has committed to the “humanitarian breaks“To enable the entry of relief supplies via the border crossings.” “The opening of the Kerem Shalom border crossing is significant.” We are also exploring alternative maritime corridors, which can play a leading role given our assets in Cyprus. “We are working in every way to get more help to the people who need it,” Sunak said. The British Foreign Secretary, David Cameronmoved this Tuesday Paris already Rome address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza with the French President, Emmanuel Macronand with his Italian counterpart Antonio Tajani.
Deportations to Rwanda
Beyond the position on the conflict in Gaza, Sunak's appearance raised other sensitive issues for his government. The President of the Home Affairs Commission, the Labor Party Diana Johnsonsubjected the Prime Minister to tense interrogation about it Immigration policy The Executive focused on the plan to deport asylum seekers who arrive irregularly in the UK to Rwanda. Sunak has avoided clarifying whether there is an airline willing to operate flights to the African country and has refused to provide data about it Total cost of the plan. The British government has initially compensated Rwanda with around 280 million eurosalthough no flight to Kigali has yet taken off.
Sunak has also avoided setting a new date for fulfilling his promise to stop it irregular arrival of ships through the English Channel, originally planned for the end of this year. Although this was one of the government's main priorities, it has achieved only a little so far reduce the total number of arrivals in 30%. The Prime Minister has insisted that important progress is being made in this regard, although the President of the Home Affairs Commission has reminded him that this year's figure is the second highest There are records that are only surpassed by last year's record more than 45,000 arrivals.
Promises not kept
Sunak's intervention at the Liaison Committee helped spark a… Balance sheet of the year, the last day of parliamentary activity before the Christmas break. A year in which the Prime Minister has achieved virtually none of the goals he set in January: halving inflation, growing the economy, reducing national debt, reducing public health waiting lists and ending the irregular arrival of ships in the English Channel.
He has only fulfilled the five promises made at the beginning of the year halve inflationwhile other goals are still far from achievedincluding the reduction of Waiting lists inside National Health Service (NHS). Sunak attributed the delays in achieving this target to the strikes by junior doctors, whom he criticized for continuing the strikes even though other civil servants had already accepted the pay rises proposed by the Executive.