Amid the raging war in Gaza, the UK government has said it is imposing sanctions on the sale of weapons to Israel for its military conduct in Gaza.
The Sir Keir Starmer-led Labour Party had earlier expressed intentions to stop weapons supply to Israel which it thought was used by the IDF to commit war crimes.
Reports indicate that Foreign Secretary David Lammy informed UK lawmakers in parliament on Monday that around 30 licenses, out of a total of approximately 350, were being suspended,
Lammy said that assessments had indicated a clear risk that weapons supplied to Israel could be used to commit or facilitate serious violations and undermine international humanitarian law.
The foreign office said that a month-long review had raised serious concerns about the conduct of the Israeli military in the ongoing Gaza invasion.
Responding to this development, Israel has condemned the UK government’s move and called it “a step that sends a very problematic message” to Hamas and its backers in Iran.
The UK has not responded as yet to Israeli statements.
In a statement, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said that the move by the UK is “disappointing” and that they are sanctioning defence supplies which Israel needs against Hamas.
He expressed hope that “the deep friendship between Britain and Israel, which has endured since Israel’s founding, will continue in the future.”
The death toll in Gaza has already crossed over 40,000, the majority of whom are civilians.
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