Research Briefing

5 January 2024

By Library specialists
2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict:
UK and international response

Summary
1 Events since 7 October 2023
2 Concerns about wider escalation
3 UK Government and UK Parliament statements
4 UK Government actions
5 International response
6 Resources and further reading

commonslibrary.parliament.uk
Number 9874 2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

Disclaimer
The Commons Library does not intend the information in our research
publications and briefings to address the specific circumstances of any
particular individual. We have published it to support the work of MPs. You
should not rely upon it as legal or professional advice, or as a substitute for
it. We do not accept any liability whatsoever for any errors, omissions or
misstatements contained herein. You should consult a suitably qualified
professional if you require specific advice or information. Read our briefing
‘Legal help: where to go and how to pay’ for further information about
sources of legal advice and help. This information is provided subject to the
conditions of the Open Parliament Licence.

Sources and subscriptions for MPs and staff

We try to use sources in our research that everyone can access, but
sometimes only information that exists behind a paywall or via a subscription
is available. We provide access to many online subscriptions to MPs and
parliamentary staff, please contact [email protected] or visit
commonslibrary.parliament.uk/resources for more information.

Feedback
Every effort is made to ensure that the information contained in these publicly
available briefings is correct at the time of publication. Readers should be
aware however that briefings are not necessarily updated to reflect
subsequent changes.

If you have any comments on our briefings please email

[email protected]. Please note that authors are not always able to
engage in discussions with members of the public who express opinions
about the content of our research, although we will carefully consider and
correct any factual errors.

You can read our feedback and complaints policy and our editorial policy at
commonslibrary.parliament.uk. If you have general questions about the work
of the House of Commons email [email protected].

2 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

Contents

1 Events since 7 October 2023 8

2 Concerns about wider escalation 13

3 UK Government and UK Parliament statements 18

3.1 Government statements 18

3.2 Response by Opposition and other MPs 24

3.3 Parliamentary votes 26

4 UK Government actions 27

4.1 UK diplomatic activity 27

4.2 Deployment of UK military forces 29

4.3 UK humanitarian aid 30

4.4 New UK sanctions and visa restrictions 31

5 International response 33

5.1 United Nations 33

5.2 G7 leaders and ministers 37

5.3 United States 38

5.4 European Union 42

5.5 Russia 44

5.6 China 44

5.7 Arab League 45

5.8 Organization for Islamic Cooperation 46

5.9 Response of Middle Eastern states 46

6 Resources and further reading 49

3 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

Summary

On 7 October 2023, the Palestinian group Hamas, officially designated a

terrorist group by many countries including Israel, the United States, the
European Union, and the United Kingdom, commenced an armed assault
against Israel. It launched several thousand rockets into Israel and conducted
attacks in border areas, killing around 1,200 civilians, and took an estimated
240 hostages, as part of what it called “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood”.

In response, Israel conducted air strikes against Hamas in Gaza and on 28

October launched a ground attack in Gaza to “destroy Hamas’ governing and
military capabilities and to bring the hostages home.” Hamas continues to
fire rockets into Israel. Daily exchanges of fire are also taking place between
Israeli Defence Forces and Iran-aligned Hezbollah in Lebanon. From Yemen,
the Houthis have launched attacks on ships linked to Israel in the Red Sea.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA)

estimates that 85% of Gaza’s 2.2 million population are now displaced. In
December, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Martin
Griffiths, said that, due to the fighting, humanitarian work in Gaza is “not
sustainable”.

Citing Israeli authorities and the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health, the UN

Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that since 7 October,
more than 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals have been reported killed and
5,431 injured. At least 22,438 Palestinians have been reported killed and about
57,614 injured across Gaza and Israel (as of 4 January 2024).

This briefing provides information on the UK and international response to the

conflict, including activity at the UN and actions by the US and EU states.

Pauses in fighting and humanitarian access

On 9 November, the US said Israel would begin four to five hour pauses in its
military operations in Gaza. The Israeli Defence Forces has said these are
“tactical, local pauses” for the delivery of aid and not a ceasefire.

From 24 November to 1 December, a pause took place to enable the release of

hostages. Before the pause began, Israel said it would last no longer than ten
days and fighting would then resume. The pause enabled the release of
110 hostages from Gaza and 240 Palestinian prisoners from Israel.

There has been only limited humanitarian access to Gaza since 7 October
2023. On 18 October, Israel agreed to the reopening of the Rafah crossing
between Egypt and Gaza for humanitarian aid only. From 1 November, it has

4 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

also opened to allow up to 500 foreign nationals and injured Palestinians to

leave daily.

On 17 December, the Kerem Shalom crossing between Israel and Gaza also
opened for aid. Israel has also agreed to a maritime aid corridor between
Cyprus and Gaza, in which the UK is expected to participate.

UN Secretary General and UN Security Council

On 24 October, the UN Secretary General, António Guterres called for an
“immediate humanitarian ceasefire”. He reiterated this call in December.

On 9 October, the Israeli Government announced a “complete siege” of Gaza

and called for civilians to evacuate northern Gaza. In December, this call was
extended to parts of the south. In October, the UN Secretary General called
for Israel to rescind the evacuation order, and for Hamas to release its
hostages. He has also called for unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza.

On 15 November, the UN Security Council passed a resolution which called for

the immediate release of all hostages by Hamas and for “urgent and
extended humanitarian corridors” throughout Gaza. Russia, the UK, and the
US abstained (the US and UK said the resolution needed to condemn Hamas.
Russia called for a ceasefire). On 22 December the Council passed a second
resolution demanding an increase in aid (Russia and the US abstained).

Israel’s representative to the UN criticised both resolutions for not

condemning Hamas and said Israel “will continue to act until Hamas is
destroyed and the hostages are returned”.

The Palestinian representative (representing the Palestinian Authority, which

controls the West Bank), said it wanted to see an “immediate ceasefire,
humanitarian assistance at scale, and no forced displacement [from Gaza]”.

United States, EU and G7 response

The G7 (the US, Japan, Canada, UK, Germany, France, Italy, and the EU)
supports “humanitarian pauses and corridors” to allow for aid delivery. It has
called for the unconditional release of hostages, and has condemned the
“rise in extremist settler violence against Palestinians” in the West Bank.

The United States has deployed additional military assets to the Middle East
to act as a deterrent against escalation by Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis
in Yemen, and Iran-aligned militias in Syria and Iraq. The US has also
announced a series of sanctions against these groups. Both the US and EU
have also announced additional humanitarian aid to Gaza.

5 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

UK Government response

Advice for British nationals

The UK Government states any British nationals in Israel and the Occupied
Palestinian Territories and Lebanon should register their presence with the UK
Government.

It has also said that all British nationals should leave Lebanon. Palestinians in
Gaza who are not a dependent of a British national but wish to apply for a UK
visa are not currently eligible for assistance from the UK.

The Government said UK officials are in Egypt to “ensure we can provide the
necessary medical, consular and administrative support needed” for British
nationals.

It says the Rafah crossing will be “open for controlled and time-limited
periods” to enable foreign nationals to cross and that the UK embassy will be
contacted by Egyptian authorities with details on when British nationals can
cross. The UK embassy will then notify individuals.

UK military and humanitarian response

The UK Government has deployed military assets to the Middle East to
promote de-escalation and conduct surveillance activities. The Government
says it has not provided “lethal or military equipment other than medical
supplies to Israel” since 7 October.

In December 2023, the United States launched an international maritime

coalition (Operation Prosperity Guardian) to protect shipping in the Red Sea
from Houthi attacks. The UK and France are among the 20 participants.

The Houthis, an Iran-aligned group which controls northern Yemen, says it is

targeting Israeli-linked ships as “Gaza does not receive the food and medicine
it needs”. The Defence Secretary, Grant Shapps, says the UK is “willing to take
direct action” against the Houthis to protect Red Sea shipping.

The UK has pledged £87 million in aid to the Occupied Palestinian Territories
for 2023. No UK aid is directed via Hamas, instead it is arranged through UN
agencies. The Commons Library research briefing, UK aid to the West Bank
and Gaza Strip: FAQs, provides more information.

UK statements on the conflict and diplomatic actions

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has condemned the 7 October attack by Hamas.
He has defended Israel’s right to defend itself, said Israel should take steps to
protect civilians in Gaza, and that the UK will work diplomatically to secure
the delivery of humanitarian aid and prevent regional escalation. The Prime

6 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

Minister and both the current and former Foreign Secretaries have met with
Middle East leaders to discuss aid, de-escalation and the release of hostages.

UK statements on violence by Israeli settlers

Alongside other G7 states, the UK has condemned violence by Israeli settlers
in the West Bank, and raised the issue with Israel’s Government.

Both the United States and the UK have introduced visa restrictions against
“extremist Israeli settlers” responsible for violence. Israel’s Prime Minister,
Benjamin Netanyahu, has condemned the violence but described
“accusations against the settlement movement [as] baseless”.

UK position on a “sustainable ceasefire”

The UK Government has supported temporary “humanitarian pauses” in the
fighting for the delivery of aid and the release of hostages. The Government
does not support an immediate ceasefire. Speaking on 11 December,
International Development Minister Andrew Mitchell argued a ceasefire is
“implausible” as “we have to have two sides that are willing to sign up to a
ceasefire and there is absolutely no suggestion […] that either of them will”.

In December 2023 the UK Foreign Secretary, writing alongside the German

Foreign Minister, said both countries “must do all we can to pave the way to a
sustainable ceasefire”, which would result in a “sustainable peace”. The
Government says a sustainable ceasefire would include the release of
hostages, delivery of aid, and for Israel to no longer be threatened by Hamas.

In December, the Labour Party also backed Government calls for a

“sustainable ceasefire” and humanitarian pauses. The SNP has continued to
call for an immediate ceasefire, while the Liberal Democrats have called for
an “immediate bilateral ceasefire” between Israel and Hamas.

7 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

 2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

1 Events since 7 October 2023

This is a summary of events from 7 October to 4 January 2024. It is not

intended to provide detailed information on the ongoing fast-moving events.
Further reading on the current conflict, its outlook, and humanitarian
situation is provided in section 6 of this briefing.

During active conflicts and because of the challenges journalists, researchers

and civil society organisations have with accessing a conflict zone, reports on
specific stories and accurate statistics can be difficult to verify.

The UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) publishes

daily updates on casualties. BBC Verify’s, How the dead are counted in Gaza,
16 November 2023, explains how they are reported.

Initial Hamas attacks against Israel

On 7 October 2023, the Palestinian group Hamas, officially designated a
terrorist organisation by the governments of Israel, the United States and
United Kingdom, commenced an armed assault against Israel. 1

The group launched several thousand rockets into Israel, conducted attacks
in border areas, killing around 1,200 civilians, and took a reported 240
hostages, as part of what it called “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood”. 2

Hamas spokesperson Mohammed Deif, the commander-in-chief of the Izz ad-

Din al-Qassam Brigades (Hamas’ military wing), said the attack against Israel
was “in response to the continued Israeli crimes against the Palestinian
people and violations at the Al-Aqsa Mosque”. 3

On 8 October, in response to the attacks, the Israeli security cabinet formally

declared war against Hamas and said it would carry out “significant military
activities” against it. 4

1
The UK has proscribed Hamas and it is subject to sanctions, see: Home Office, Islamist terrorist
group Hamas banned in the UK, 26 November 2021 and HM Treasury, Current list of designated
persons: Counter terrorism (international), 16 June 2022, pp3-4
2
How Hamas duped Israel as it planned devastating attack, Reuters, 10 October 2023; Hamas
hostages: Stories of the hostages taken by Hamas from Israel, BBC News, 27 November 2023
3
Security Council Report, The Middle East, including the Palestinian question: Emergency closed
consultation, 7 October 2023
4
Security Council confirms Israel at war […], Times of Israel, 8 October 2023

8 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has condemned violence “on

both sides”. 5 The Palestinian Authority has had limited authority over Gaza
following the 2006 victory by Hamas in parliamentary elections. In 2007,
fighting between Hamas and Fatah (the majority party of the Palestinian
Authority) resulted in Hamas taking control of Gaza. 6

Israeli air strikes and actions in Gaza

Recovery of Israeli territory and actions in Gaza
On 9 October 2023 Israel said it had recovered most of the Israeli territory
initially taken by Hamas.7

On 11 October 2023, a cross-government war cabinet was formed in Israel,

bringing some opposition figures into government. 8

On 28 October, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) commenced a ground

offensive in Gaza. The Israeli Government said it aims to “destroy Hamas’
governing and military capabilities and to bring the hostages home”. 9

The IDF says (to 3 December) that it has launched more than 10,000 airstrikes
against Hamas in Gaza and what the IDF describe as “terror” and other
related infrastructure (such as tunnels and weapons warehouses). 10 The IDF
states over 10,000 rocket and drone attacks have been launched against
Israel. The pace of rocket attacks has fallen since the Israeli offensive began. 11

In advance of the 28 October offensive, the Israeli Government told civilians to

evacuate northern Gaza. 12 This action drew criticism from the UN Secretary
General, who called the evacuation order “dangerous and deeply troubling”
and for Israel to grant “unimpeded access for humanitarian aid” to Gaza. 13 In
December, Israel has also told civilians to leave parts of southern Gaza. 14

Speaking on 18 December, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said “we will
[soon] be able to transition gradually to the next phase and start working on
bringing back the local population” into parts of Gaza. He said this would be
“achieved, maybe, sooner in the north”. 15 On 1 January 2024, the IDF said

5
Palestinian President Abbas condemns violence against civilians, Reuters, 12 October 2023
6
A guide to Palestinian and other anti-Israeli factions, Foreign Affairs, 10 October 2023
7
A timeline of the surprise attack by Hamas on Israel, ABC News, updated 18 October 2023
8
Israel’s Netanyahu, Gantz reach deal to form emergency government, Al-Monitor, 11 October 2023
9
Israel launches Gaza war’s second phase with ground operation, Netanyahu says, Reuters, 28
October 2023
10
IDF says it has carried out 10,000 airstrikes in Gaza […], Times of Israel, 3 December 2023
11
Flight from Eliat lands at Ben Gurion airport […], Times of Israel, 10 December 2023
12
Palestinians flee northern Gaza after Israel orders 1 million to evacuate […], AP, 13 October 2023
13
UN, Middle East on “verge of the abyss” UN warns […], 15 October 2023; UN, Why Israel must
reconsider its Gaza evacuation order, 13 October 2023
14
Israel’s new Gaza evacuation leaves Palestinians few places to go, BBC News, 6 December 2023
15
US DoD, Secretary of Defense […] with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, 18 December 2023

9 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

some troops, including reservists, would be withdrawn from Gaza to enable

them to regroup and that it expected fighting to continue into mid-2024. 16

Situation reports by UN agencies

Israel has restricted the delivery of fuel, water, and energy to Gaza, citing
concerns that fuel could be used by Hamas. 17 From November, Israel has
allowed a limited amount of fuel to be delivered to support the work of the UN
Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA). UNRWA had
previously said a lack of fuel had hindered its work. 18

Gaza is heavily dependent on Israel for its energy and water, 19 and UN
agencies have reported shortages in food, energy, and water and damage to
hospitals and other infrastructure. The UNRWA, the World Health
Organization and UNOCHA have also reported fighting, military operations, or
air strikes in and around hospitals, schools, UNRWA sites, and places of
shelter in Gaza, as well as a high level of population displacement. 20

The pause from 24 November to 1 December allowed an increased amount of

aid to be delivered (see below for the information on the pause). However, on
7 December the UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs, Martin
Griffiths, said that extensive damage to infrastructure and the degree of
fighting meant humanitarian operations in Gaza were struggling, being
“erratic, […] undependable, and […] not sustainable”. 21

In December 2023, the World Food Programme said 576,600 Palestinians

(26% of the population of Gaza) had exhausted their food supplies and the
entire 2.2 million population are “in crisis or worse levels of acute food
insecurity”. It said there is a “risk of famine” within six months if the conflict
between Hamas and Israel does not recede and aid access is not increased. 22

UNOCHA provides daily updates on the humanitarian situation on its website:

Current hostilities in Gaza and Israel: Impact since 7 October 2023 (browse
the page for ‘flash updates’ and ‘reported impact’).

The UK Government says it has raised the importance of protecting civilians

and adhering to international humanitarian law when conducting military
operations directly with the Israeli Government, while “recognising that
Hamas is embedded in parts of the civilian population [of Gaza]”. 23

16
Israel to pull some troops from Gaza as war enters new phase, Reuters, 1 January 2024
17
Defence Minister announces ‘complete siege’ of Gaza […], Times of Israel, 9 October 2023; UN says
fuel shortages will halt Gaza aid operations within a day, CNN, 26 October 2023
18
Israel to allow some fuel into Gaza after US push-officials, Reuters, 18 November 2023
19
Unicef, The Gaza Strip. The humanitarian impact of 15 years of blockade, June 2022
20
UNRWA, Situation report 35, 22 November 2023; UNOCHA, Flash update 46, 21 November 2023
21
UNOCHA, UN relief chief: “No place safe” for civilians in southern Gaza, 7 December 2023
22
Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, Global initiative—special brief—Gaza strip (PDF),
December 2023, p2
23
PQ 1688 [Gaza: Israel], 21 November 2023 and PQ 895 [Gaza: Hospitals], 20 November 2023

10 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

Humanitarian aid into Gaza

The Rafah crossing is one of three crossing points in and out of Gaza, and the
only non-Israeli entry and exit point. It is controlled and operated by the
Egyptian Authorities and is primarily used for the movement of people.

Egypt has restricted the movement of goods and people in and out of Gaza
via the Rafah crossing since Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007. Access to
the crossing was initially limited after 7 October 2023 for most of the time, 24
though the Egyptian Government said the crossing was not officially closed
but became inoperable due to the Israeli air strikes on the Gaza side. 25

On 18 October Israel agreed to the reopening of the crossing for humanitarian

aid only. 26 On 1 November, the crossing also opened to allow up to 500
foreign nationals and injured Palestinians to cross into Egypt daily.27

Egypt has been wary of enabling the movement of Palestinians into Sinai via
the crossing. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has said Egypt “rejects
any attempt to resolve the Palestinian issue […] through the forced
displacement of Palestinians from their land, which would come at the
expense of the countries of the region”. 28

Negotiations led to the Kerem Shalom crossing (one of two between Israel
and Gaza) being opened to humanitarian aid deliveries from 17 December. 29
UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths has
described Kerem Shalom as “the only crossing equipped to rapidly process a
sufficiently large number of trucks” of humanitarian aid. 30

On 31 December 2023, Israel’s Foreign Minister said Israel had agreed for
countries including France, Greece, the Netherlands, and the UK to
“immediately” ship humanitarian aid though a maritime corridor from
Cyprus. Security checks on the supplies would be conducted in Cyprus.
However, no statements on the operation of this corridor have been made
and a UK ship carrying supplies in January landed in Egypt, not Gaza. 31

24
See UNOCHA, Flash updates in the Gaza Strip and Israel numbers 2, 3, 4, and 7, October 2023
25
Gaza aid arrives at border crossing but no plan for delivery yet, Reuters, 17 October 2023
26
Israel will let Egypt deliver some aid to Gaza […], AP, 18 October 2023
27
Rafah crossing: First Britons leave Gaza but others face nervous wait, BBC News, 1 November 2023
28
Egypt rejects displacement of Palestinians into Sinai, says Sisi, Reuters, 18 October 2023
29
Aid enters Gaza through Israel’s Kerem Shalom crossing […], Reuters, 17 December 2023
30
UNOCHA, Briefing to the Security Council on the situation in the Middle East, 30 October 2023
31
Screened in Cyprus, British and Cypriot aid heads to Gaza via Egypt, Reuters, 2 January 2024; Israel
green-lights Cypriot aid plan for Palestinians […], Politico, 31 December 2023

11 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

Pauses in fighting, November 2023

On 15 November 2023 the UN Security Council passed a resolution calling for
more and extended humanitarian pauses in the conflict. Section 5.1 of this
briefing provides more on the UN debate and response to the resolution.

Announcement of “tactical, local pauses”

On 9 November, the White House said Israel would begin four-hour pauses in
its military operations in northern Gaza. The Israeli Defence Forces have said
these are “tactical, local pauses” for the delivery of humanitarian aid and do
not constitute a ceasefire. 32 The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
said Israel would not agree to a ceasefire until hostages are released. 33

Pause for the release of hostages

Following mediation by Qatar and Egypt, a pause in fighting took place from
24 November to 1 December 2023 to allow for the release of hostages taken to
Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israel. Hamas released 110
hostages from Gaza and Israel released 240 Palestinians from Israeli prisons.
It is estimated more than 100 hostages remain in Gaza. 34

Before the pause, the Israeli Government said it would last no longer than ten
days from the date of release of the first hostage.35 When fighting resumed,
the Government said it was committed to “releasing the hostages, eliminating
Hamas and ensuring Gaza never again constitutes a threat” to Israel. 36 The
agreement allowed more fuel and humanitarian aid into Gaza: On the first
day of the pause, the UN said the “biggest humanitarian convoy” since 7
October had been delivered to the UNRWA’s reception point in Gaza. 37

Statements on further negotiations

On 19 December, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said: “Israel is willing to enter
another humanitarian pause and bring in additional humanitarian aid in
order to bring back the hostages”. 38

BBC Monitoring reports of public statements by Hamas say it will not agree to
the further release of hostages until Israel ends its military operations in
Gaza. In January 2024, Hamas denied participating in any talks on the further
release of hostages.39

32
Israeli army says allowing “humanitarian pauses” in Gaza, BBC Monitoring, 9 November 2023
33
Israel open to ‘tactical little pauses’ to let aid into Gaza, Netanyahu says, Politico, 7 November 2023
34
Hamas hostages: Stories of the people taken from Israel, BBC News, 22 December 2023
35
Cabinet decision on hostage deal published[…], Times of Israel, 22 November 2023
36
Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Statement by the Prime Minister’s Office, 1 December 2023
37
UN, UN delivers more aid into Gaza on first day of humanitarian pause, 24 November 2023
38
Atlantic Council, Israeli President Isaac Herzog on the Israel-Hamas war [...], 19 December 2023
39
Hamas denies reports on negotiating hostage deal with Israel, BBC Monitoring, 30 December 2023

12 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

 2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

2 Concerns about wider escalation

Speaking in December 2023, the UN Assistant Secretary General, Khaled

Khiari, said the risk of “regional spillover” from the conflict “remains high”. 40
In Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and the Red Sea, armed groups have launched
attacks against Israel or US forces. As set out in section 3 onwards, the UK
and others have sought to encourage de-escalation by deploying military
assets to the region and applying diplomatic pressure.

Section 6 provides further reading on the risk of escalation.

The role of Iran

Iran has provided support to several armed groups in the region, including
Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, militias in Iraq and Syria, and the
Houthis in Yemen. 41 Iran’s support for these groups is interpreted as a
“forward defence” strategy, in which Iran can threaten Israel and fight its
opponents, such as the United States, Israel and Saudi Arabia, outside of
Iran. 42

Iran backed the 7 October offensive by Hamas (see section 6). However,
speaking in October 2023, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said there was
“nothing” to suggest Iran was “directly involved in this attack [by Hamas
against Israel], in planning it or in carrying it out”. 43

Speaking on 13 December, the UK Chief of the Defence Staff, Admiral Sir Tony
Radakin, said the UK Government judges that “Iran doesn’t want a direct war”
but “is comfortable with the way events have unfolded”.44

West Bank
Violence between Palestinians, Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) and Israeli settlers
has been reported in the West Bank. UNOCHA reports that 2023 was the
“deadliest year” for Palestinians and Israelis in the West Bank since it started

40
UN, “The risk of regional spillover” of conflict in Middle East remains high […], 29 December 2023
41
Commons Library, Iran’s influence in the Middle East, section 1
42
Middle East Institute, Upgrading Iran’s military doctrine, 10 December 2019
43
US State Department, Secretary Antony J Blinken with Kristen Welker, 8 October 2023
44
Ministry of Defence, Chief of the Defence staff lecture 2023, 13 December 2023

13 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

recording casualties in 2005 (recording 36 Israeli and 506 Palestinian

deaths). 45

UNOCHA reports ongoing search-and-arrest operations by the IDF, the

exchange of fire between some Palestinians and the IDF, and confrontations
and demonstrations. 46

From 7 October to 27 November, UNOCHA reported a daily average of six

“incidents” by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank (an
increase from an average of three since the beginning of 2023). “Incidents”
include attacks resulting in casualties, damage to Palestinian-owned
property, or both. 47

Benjamin Netanyahu has condemned the violence but described “accusations

against the settlement movement [as] baseless” and said they are not
representative of Israeli settlers. The UK is among those who have called on
the Israeli Government to “take immediate and concrete steps” against
violence by settlers (see section 3.1). 48

Hezbollah in Lebanon
Hezbollah is a Shia military and political group, which emerged in the 1980s
during Lebanon’s civil war. Hezbollah plays a substantial role in Lebanese
politics. It is proscribed as a terrorist group by the UK Government. 49

In 2006, Israeli troops entered Lebanon in response to an attack on Israel by

Hezbollah. 50 UN Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) called for the
cessation of hostilities, the withdrawal of Israeli military forces and the
disarmament of Hezbollah, and for the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)
to deploy to the “Blue Line” to maintain peace. 51

The resolution has not been fully implemented, with Hezbollah retaining its
arms and no demilitarised zone in southern Lebanon established. While
Israeli forces withdrew following the 2006 conflict, Lebanon and Israel
continue to dispute their borders. 52

On 8 October 2023, Hezbollah launched missiles and conducted artillery

attacks on some military sites in northern Israel “in solidarity” with Hamas. 53

45
UNOCHA, Hostilities in Gaza Strip and Israel, flash update 80, 30 December 2023
46
UNOCHA, Hostilities in the Gaza Strip and Israel, flash update 52, 27 November 2023
47
UN, Rise in intimidation, settler violence in the West Bank, warns OCHA, 1 November 2023; UNOCHA,
Hostilities in the Gaza Strip and Israel, flash update 52, 27 November 2023
48
PM pans West Bank attacks by “handful of extremists”, Times of Israel, 9 November 2023
49
Home Office, Proscribed terrorist groups or organisations, 15 September 2023, ‘Hizballah’.
50
For a historic introduction, see Commons Library research briefing, The crisis in Lebanon, 2007.
51
UN Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006)
52
Lebanon PM: Beirut ready to implement resolution on border […], Times of Israel, 22 December 2023
53
Hezbollah tells Palestinian militants “our guns and rockets are with you,” Al-Arabiya News, 8
October 2023

14 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

In December, the UN Deputy Secretary General reported “daily” exchanges of

fire between Israel and Hezbollah, and warned that “increasingly, there have
been strikes on civilian areas” in both Israel and Lebanon. 54

Israel has evacuated around 80,000 citizens from northern Israel in response,
while around 75,000 people in Lebanon have been displaced. 55

On 4 January, Israeli Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant, said there is “a short

window of time for diplomatic understandings” to be reached with Hezbollah
to stop its attacks. 56 In December, he said Israel would “not hesitate to act” if
diplomatic means fail. 57

On 2 January 2024, an explosion killed Hamas Deputy Secretary-General

Saleh al-Arouri in Lebanon’s capital, Beirut. Israel has not confirmed or
denied involvement, though Lebanon’s Government has accused Israel of
escalating the conflict. 58 The Israeli Government has previously pledged to
target Hamas leadership outside of Gaza. 59 Hezbollah has said it will retaliate
against Israel for the attack. 60

Attacks in Syria and Iraq

The US has around 900 military personnel in Syria and 2,500 in Iraq, focused
on combating Islamic State/Daesh. Since 7 October, these forces have been
attacked at least 100 times (to 5 January 2024) by Iran-aligned militia groups
and others. 61 The US states Iran is “actively facilitating” some of the attacks. 62

In response, the US has conducted “self-defence” strikes which it says are

“intended to solely protect and defend US personnel”. 63 In January 2024, a US
airstrike in Iraq killed the leader of one militia group, Harakat al Nujaba, who
had been engaged in attacks on US forces. Harakat al Nujaba is considered a
terrorist group by the United States. The Iraqi Government criticised the
attack as a violation of Iraqi sovereignty and established a committee to
consider the permanent withdrawal of international forces from Iraq. Militia
groups have said they will retaliate against the US. 64

54
UN, “The risk of regional spillover” of conflict in Middle East remains high […], 29 December 2023
55
US Department of Defense (DoD), Secretary of Defense […] with Israeli Defense Minister, 18
December 2023; UNOCHA, Escalation of hostilities in southern Lebanon, 30 December 2023
56
Gallant tells US envoy […] there is ‘short window’ [..], Times of Israel, 4 January 2024
57
US DoD, Secretary of Defense […] with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, 18 December 2023
58
Hamas deputy leader Saleh al-Arouni killed in Beirut blast, BBC News, 3 January 2024
59
Israeli campaign to kill Hamas leaders likely to backfire[…], The Guardian, 23 December 2023
60
Washington Institute, A Hamas leader dies in Beirut, 2 January 2024
61
US strike kills militia leader blamed for Iraq attacks, Pentagon says, Reuters, 5 January 2024
62
White House says Iran “actively facilitating” some attacks […], Reuters, 24 October 2023
63
DoD, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J Austin III’s statement on US military strikes, 26 October 2023
64
US strike kills militia leader blamed for Iraq attacks, Pentagon says, Reuters, 5 January 2024; US hits
back at Iran-backed militia in Iraq, VOA, 4 January 2024; Iraq prepares to close down US-led
coalition mission, Reuters, 5 January 2024

15 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

Israel has also conducted airstrikes on some sites linked to Iran and
Hezbollah in Syria.65 In December 2023 the Commander of Iran’s Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Seyyed Razi Mousavi, was killed in Syria.
Iran has blamed Israel (Israel has not claimed any responsibility). Mousavi is
the most prominent member of the IRGC to be killed since Qasem Soleimani in
January 2020, who was targeted in a US drone strike in Iraq. 66

Hezbollah has threatened retaliation against Israel for the death of

Mousavi. 67 Iran has said it “reserves the right to take appropriate action at
the right time and place” in response to the attack. 68

Houthis in Yemen and the Red Sea

The Houthis emerged in the 1990s in reaction to Saudi influence in Yemen and
have been in conflict with Yemen’s internationally recognised government
since 2014 and with a Saudi-led military coalition since 2015. The Houthis now
control most of northern Yemen. 69 Since 7 October, the group has launched
some drone and missile attacks against Israel.70

In November 2023, the Houthis said they would target ships with links to
Israeli in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. 71 As of 3 January 2024,
the US says there have been 24 attacks on shipping since 19 November. 72

In response to the Houthi seizure of the commercial ship MV Galaxy Leader on

20 November, the UK Government said that “Iran must actively restrain” the
Houthis “to prevent the conflict escalating”. The crew, who are from Bulgaria,
Ukraine, the Philippines, Mexico and Romania, remain detained in Yemen. 73
The US says the Houthis attacks “are fully enabled by Iran”. 74

Iran states the Houthis are acting “independently”. 75 In December 2023,

however, the Wall Street Journal reported that an Iranian ship is providing
the Houthis with intelligence and weaponry. 76 In January 2024, Iran
announced one of its warships had entered the Red Sea. 77

65
Syria front on edge as Israel targets airports[...], Al-Monitor, 13 November 2023
66
Center for Strategic and International Studies, When Iran attacks, 9 January 2020
67
How killing of Iran’s IRGC commander in Syria could ignite […] war, Al-Monitor, 26 December 2023
68
Iran advises IAEA to avoid taking political measures, Islamic Republic News Agency, 1 January 2024
69
Commons Library, Yemen in 2023: Conflict and status of peace talks, section 1
70
US Institute for Peace, Proxy attacks: Iraq, Syria and Yemen, 14 December 2023
71
Houthis say they could mount Red Sea attacks every 12 hours, Ynet News, 19 December 2023
72
US, allies warn Houthis of “consequences” […], VOA, 3 January 2024
73
Yemen’s Houthi leader says group to target Israeli ships in Red Sea, Alarabiya News, 15 November
2023, FCDO, Seizure of MV Galaxy Leader by the Houthis—UK statement, 21 November 2023
74
Iran says it is not involved in any actions against US […], Reuters, 5 December 2023; Centcom,
Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in international waters continues, 3 December 2023
75
Iran says Yemeni rebels act ‘independently’, BBC Monitoring, 18 December 2023
76
Iranian spy ship helps Houthis direct attacks […], Wall Street Journal, 22 December 2023
77
Iranian warship Alborz enters the Red Sea—Tasnim, Reuters, 1 January 2024

16 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

In December, an international coalition was launched by the US to maintain

freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. The UK is participating (see below).

The UN Assistant Secretary-General, Khaled Khiari, has said the attacks on

shipping must stop and that “no cause or grievance can justify” their
continuation. Russia has claimed the maritime coalition is an attempt to
“‘put[…] out the fire’ of the crisis in the Red Sea with gasoline”. 78

Operation Prosperity Guardian in the Red Sea

In response to the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, on 18 December 2023 the US
Secretary of State for Defence, Lloyd Austin, announced a 20-state coalition
to protect civilian ships under “Operation Prosperity Guardian”. The UK is
participating in the operation. The EU is also considering a proposal to create
a separate mission in the Red Sea.79

A total of 44 states, including the members of NATO and the EU, condemned
the Houthi attacks in a joint statement in December. 80

The announcement came after oil company BP and Danish Maersk announced
they were pausing shipments through the Red Sea. 81 The attacks pose a
substantial threat to global supply chains and oil supplies: around 30% of
global container traffic passes through the Red Sea. 82

More than 20 countries are participating, though not all have been publicly
named. Those involved include the United States, the UK, Bahrain, Canada,
France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, the Seychelles, and Spain. 83

The UK had previously announced the deployment of HMS Diamond to the

area to protect maritime routes (see section 4.2). 84 The UK Government also
says HMS Lancaster is in the region to assist. 85 China is not participating but
has called for “all parties” to contribute to security in the Red Sea. 86

The Houthis have said the US “must bear the consequences of their actions”. 87
They have said they will respond to any country that opens its airspace for the
bombing of Yemen, if this were to take place. 88

78
UN, Security Council meets over Red Sea attacks […], 3 January 2024
79
EU’s Borrell says world must impose solution to Gaza conflict, Reuters, 3 January 2024
80
US Department of State, Joint statement on Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, 19 December 2023; PMO,
Joint statement condemning Houthi attacks against commercial shipping, 3 January 2024
81
BP to pause Red sea shipping transits over security concerns, DW, 18 December 2023
82
Atlantic Council, What attacks in the Red Sea could mean for the […] economy, 18 December 2023.
83
US DoD, Secretary of Defense […] on ensuring freedom of navigation, 18 December 2023; More than
20 countries now part of US-led Red Sea coalition, Reuters, 22 December 2023
84
Ministry of Defence, HMS Diamond joins international task force […], 19 December 2023
85
HCWS163 [Maritime update], 19 December 2023
86
Beijing calls on major powers to ensure Red Sea security, BBC Monitoring, 21 December 2023
87
Houthis say undeterred by US-led naval coalition […], BBC Monitoring, 19 December 2023
88
Houthi leadership figure warns Saudi Arabia, UAE against siding with Israel, BBC Monitoring, 21
December 2023

17 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

 2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

3 UK Government and UK Parliament

statements

For a full list of parliamentary proceedings on the Israel-Hamas conflict, see

the House of Commons Library research briefing, Israel and the Occupied
Palestinian Territories: A parliamentary reading list, December 2023.

3.1 Government statements

Prime Minister’s statements to the Commons

The Prime Minister has delivered two statements to the Commons on the
conflict, on 16 October and 23 October 2023.

On 16 October 2023, the Prime Minister described the attack by Hamas

against Israel as a “pogrom”. He said:

• The attack was a “fundamental challenge to any idea of co-existence”

which he described as “essential” to peace and stability in the region.

• Israel had an “absolute” right to defend itself, deter further incursions,

and secure the release of hostages, in line with international
humanitarian law.

• The UK would call upon Israel to take “every possible precaution to avoid
harming civilians”. 89

Three UK Government priorities

On 16 October, the Prime Minister said the UK response has three elements:

• Working to prevent further escalation and threats against Israel through

deploying UK forces to monitor and provide regional surveillance (see
section 4.2). The UK will not intervene militarily in Gaza.

89
HC Deb, 16 October 2023, cc24-5

18 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

• Increasing humanitarian aid for the Occupied Palestinian Territories and

calling for humanitarian access to Gaza.

• Working diplomatically to support stability in the region, including for a

two-state solution (see below for high-level diplomatic contact). 90

Government statements on specific issues

Calls for a ceasefire

Speaking on 11 December, the International Development Minister, Andrew
Mitchell set out the Government’s reasoning against an immediate ceasefire:

[…] at the moment a ceasefire is wholly implausible. First of all, Hamas would
not agree to one. They have made it absolutely clear that they want to
replicate the terrible acts that took place on 7 October […]

It is much more sensible to try to get these humanitarian pauses, where we

have seen some success […]

We have to have two sides that are willing to sign up to a ceasefire and there is
absolutely no suggestion, at any point, that either of them will. 91

The Government has backed pauses in the fighting to allow for aid to be
delivered, the release of hostages and for British nationals and others to
leave Gaza. 92 Following the pause in fighting which began on 24 November,
the Minister for the Middle East, Lord Ahmad, told the UN Security Council
that it “should not be a one-off”, and should be built on to release hostages,
deliver aid and protect civilians.93

In December 2023, the Foreign Secretary, Lord Cameron, along with the
German Foreign Minister, said they continued to oppose “a general and
immediate ceasefire” and set out their support for a “sustainable ceasefire”. 94
The Prime Minister has described a “sustainable ceasefire” and a proposed
path to a “permanent ceasefire”:

There isn’t a perfect formula for peace, but what I can say is that a ceasefire is
clearly not going to last if hostages are still being held—that was your first
question—and if Hamas, whose stated aim is to destroy Israel, are still able to
operate in underground tunnels and launch rocket attacks into Israel. Those
are important facets that we need to grapple with.

90
HC Deb, 16 October 2023, cc24-5
91
HC Deb, 11 December 2023, cc615-17
92
HC Deb, 25 October 2023, c827
93
UN, World must not look away from the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza […], 29 November 22023
94
Lord Cameron and Annalena Baerbock, Why the UK and Germany back a sustainable ceasefire, The
Times, 16 December 2023

19 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

Ahead of a permanent ceasefire, what we would like to see is immediate and

sustained humanitarian pauses that allow for the release of more hostages
and more aid to enter Gaza. 95

The Government has also reiterated that Hamas wants to “repeat what
happened on 7 October” and that Israel has “an absolute right of self-defence
to go after the people who perpetrated those terrible events” on 7 October. 96

Two-state solution
On support for a two-state solution, on 22 October the Prime Minister said the
Abraham Accords (in which Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Morocco
normalised their diplomatic relations with Israel) were important. 97

However, the Prime Minister also said there must be “renewed energy” on
supporting more effective Palestinian Governance and “challenging actions
that undercut legitimate aspirations for Palestinian statehood”. 98

The Prime Minister has reiterated the long-standing position of the UK

Government that it will “recognise the state of Palestine when it best serves
the interest of peace”. 99 For more on this topic, see the Commons Library
debate briefing, UK Government recognition of the state of Palestine
alongside the state of Israel, 2021.

Violence in the West Bank

In November 2023, the Minister for the Americas and the Caribbean, David
Rutley, said the Government condemns “any incidence of violence against
settlers by Palestinians” and that Israel “must take tangible steps to grip
settler violence” and hold those responsible to account:

Our position is clear: we strongly condemn any incidence of violence against

settlers by Palestinians. Reports of Palestinian civilians being murdered by
settlers in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) are appalling. Israel
must take tangible steps to grip settler violence, and to hold those responsible
accountable. The Prime Minister and the former Foreign Secretary [James
Cleverly] have raised this with Prime Minister Netanyahu and [Israeli] Foreign
Minister Cohen, and we have also stressed the importance of the Israeli
security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian
population. 100

The UK has since announced visa restrictions on those responsible for settler
violence (see below, section 4.4). It also issued a joint statement in December

95
Liaison Committee, Oral evidence: Work of the Prime Minister, HC 419, 19 December 2023, Q18
96
HC Deb, 19 December 2023, c1246
97
HC Deb, 23 October 2023, c592. Sudan also signed the Accords but has not signed a bilateral
agreement with Israel.
98
HC Deb, 23 October 2023, c592.
99
HC Deb, 22 November 2023, c318
100
PQ 892 [West Bank: violence], 20 November 2023

20 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

with the European Union and 13 other states “call[ing] on Israel to take
immediate and concrete steps to tackle record high settler violence”. 101

International humanitarian law

In response to a parliamentary question asking if the Government had
assessed whether the Israeli Government is complying with international
human rights law, the Minister for International Development stated on 8
November 2023 that “it is not for the Government to make such an
assessment; it is for lawyers and a court to do so”. 102

The Minister also reiterated the Government’s position “that all countries
must abide by international humanitarian law and the rules of law”. 103

On 15 November 2023, the Minister for International Development also said it

was “not for Ministers to seek to state where the [International Criminal
Court, ICC] has jurisdiction; that is for the Chief Prosecutor. 104 The Lord
Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Alex Chalk, echoed this on 21
November:

Questions about prosecution are matters for independent prosecutors. It is not

for Ministers in this Parliament to make that sort of decision: that will be a
matter for independent prosecutors, whom I would expect to exercise their
discretion freely and fairly. 105

The Chief Prosecutor of the ICC, Karim Khan, has said his office has
“jurisdiction over current events in Gaza and in the West Bank”. 106 The
Prosecutor visited the region in December. 107 Israel has rejected ICC
jurisdiction on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the past. 108

On 4 December, the Minister for Europe and Central Asia, Leo Docherty, said
the UK was not “at this stage” in a position to provide evidence to the ICC on
possible breaches of international humanitarian law, but that the
Government will “continue to take note” of its work. 109

In response to parliamentary questions on whether the UK would share any

footage from its surveillance drones over Gaza (see section 4.2) with the ICC,
the International Development Minister said on 12 December that:

101
FCDO, Joint statement on West Bank settler violence, 15 December 2023
102
HC Deb, 8 November 2023, c165
103
HC Deb, 8 November 2023, c165
104
HC Deb, 15 November 2023, c513
105
HC Deb, 21 November 2023, c178
106
Karim Khan in the Guardian, We are witnessing a pandemic of inhumanity: To halt the spread, we
must cling to the law, 10 November 2023
107
ICC, ICC prosecutor Karim Khan KC, concludes first visit to Israel and state of Palestine […], 3
December 2023
108
Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Israel rejects the ICC’s decision regarding the scope of its
territorial jurisdiction […], 7 February 2021
109
HC Deb, 4 December 2023, c34

21 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

[…] it is not just Government but many different organisations that are seeking
to identify what is happening on the ground, and the extent to which
international humanitarian law is being abided with. Any such evidence will
undoubtedly be put before the relevant authority—the courts that he [the
Member] mentioned [the ICC], specifically—if such evidence is available. 110

Section 6 of this briefing provides resources on the ICC and international law.

UK arms sales to Israel

In response to a parliamentary question on whether the UK had assessed the
potential impact of arms sales to Israel on civilian deaths and compliance
with international humanitarian law, on 20 November 2023 the Defence
Secretary, Grant Shapps, said:

All [UK] export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis

against the strategic export licence criteria. This Government will not use any
export licences to any destination where applications are not consistent with
the criteria. […]

our defence exports to Israel are relatively small—just £42 million last year
[…]. 111

In response to a separate question, the Minister of State for Defence, James

Cartlidge, said the Government is monitoring the situation closely and “if
extant licences are found to be no longer consistent with the Criteria, those
licences will be revoked”.112

The criteria for UK arms exports are set out in the Commons Library research
briefing, UK amends its criteria for arms exports, November 2023. The UK
applies eight criteria to assess these applications (see sections 2 to 10 of the
briefing) which include respecting human rights, determining if the provision
of arms would undermine peace and security, and whether provision would
undermine UK national security or that of allied countries.

Reports of sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas

In response to reports of sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas on 7
October, 113 which are currently under investigation by Israel and the UN
Commission of Inquiry into Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, 114
on 15 December the Middle of the Middle East, Lord Ahmad, expressed
“serious concern” and called for a full investigation:

110
HC Deb, 12 December 2023, c725, see also HC Deb, 5 December 2023, c216
111
HC Deb, 20 November 2023, c2
112
PQ 203627 [Israel: Arms trade], 26 October 2023
113
Hamas raped and mutilated women on 7 October, BBC hears, BBC News, 5 December 2023
114
UN commission to investigate Hamas sexual violence[…], Reuters, 30 November 2023; Israel police
open investigation into sexual violence during Oct 7 attack, Reuters, 14 November 2023

22 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

Horrifying reports of sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas on 7 October detail

abhorrent acts of violence against Israeli women and girls and other civilians
[…]

We express serious concern about emerging reports of sexual violence, against

both women and men, while they were held in Hamas captivity in Gaza […] The
UK condemns sexual violence unequivocally and without exception. These
reports must be fully investigated to ensure justice for survivors and victims. 115

In December 2023, the Prime Minister said “the reports of sexual violence” are
“shocking” and that the Government had raised its concerns on the violence
with the UN in November. The UK Government is engaging with that of Israel
on what support the UK can provide. 116 Hamas has denied the allegations. 117

Israel’s evacuation order for parts of Gaza

In response to a parliamentary question on Israel’s evacuation order for
northern Gaza, in October the Prime Minister said: “Israel is attempting to
minimise the impact on civilians by asking people to leave northern Gaza”. 118

The Prime Minister also states the UK “recognis[es] that there must be no
forcible displacement from Gaza” into Egypt and other states. 119

In January 2024, the Minister for the Middle East criticised as “inflammatory”
remarks by two Israeli Ministers advocating the resettlement of Palestinians
outside of Gaza. 120 The UK Government reiterated its position that “Gaza is
Occupied Palestinian Territory and will be part of a future Palestinian state”. 121

UK nationals in Gaza and deaths

The UK Government has not confirmed the number of British nationals held
hostage in Gaza. Previously, on 7 November, the Justice Secretary said the
Government believed there were three British nationals held hostage (from 7
October to 7 November 2023). 122 On 11 December, Foreign Office Minister Leo
Docherty confirmed 15 British nationals had been killed since 7 October. 123

Funding for the Community Security Trust and

Protective Security for Mosques Scheme in the UK
Following reports of a rise in antisemitic offenses in the UK, the Prime Minister
has announced £3 million in funding for the Community Security Trust (CST)

115
FCDO, Reports of sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas, 15 December 2023
116
HC Dec, 13 December 2023, c896
117
Hamas ‘rejects occupation’s lies on rape cases’ […], BBC Monitoring, 4 December 2023
118
HC Deb, 16 October 2023, c29
119
Prime Minister’s Office, PM meeting with Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, 1 December 2023
120
Lord Ahmad on X/Twitter, Gaza is occupied Palestinian Territory […], 3 January 2024
121
FCDI, UK statement on situation in Gaza, 3 January 2024
122
Three British hostages are still in Gaza, says Justice secretary, The Telegraph, 7 November 2023
123
HC Deb, 11 December 2023, c225WH

23 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

 2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

for Jewish community buildings, synagogues, and schools in the UK. 124 The
CST is a charity that protects Jews from antisemitism and other threats. In the
November 2023 Autumn statement, the Chancellor said he would repeat this
£3 million funding to the CST next year. 125

The Chancellor also announced up to a further £7 million for organisations

such as the Holocaust Memorial Trust to address antisemitism over the next
three years, including in schools and universities. 126

Before the conflict, in June 2023 the Government announced £24.5 million in
2023/24 to protect mosques and Muslim faith schools under the Protective
Security for Mosques Scheme. Available funding for the scheme has been
increased 20% since the June announcement.127

3.2 Response by Opposition and other MPs

Official Opposition
The Leader of the Opposition, Keir Starmer, has condemned Hamas’ attack as
an act of terror. He has called for humanitarian access to Gaza, protection for
civilians and humanitarian workers, and said greater efforts must be made on
a two-state solution and cooperation between Israel and Arab states. 128

The Shadow Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, has said a new UK special
envoy on the Middle East should be appointed to “recharge” negotiations on
a two-state solution, 129 as a well as a “Western and Arab-led vehicle”
established to lead reconstruction and future talks on a two-state solution. In
response to violence in the West Bank, the Shadow Foreign Secretary has also
called for “entry bans” on those engaged in “attacks [by Israeli settlers],
serious criminal activity or fostering hatred”. 130

Speaking after the end of the November pause, on 11 December Shadow

Middle East Minister, Wayne David, said the Official Opposition does not
currently believe a “genuine ceasefire” is possible, as “it needs both warring
parties to agree to that [and] there is little indication that that would be the
case”. 131

124
HC Deb, 16 October 2023, cc23
125
HM Treasury, Autumn statement 2023, 22 November 2023, p32
126
As above
127
PQ 3471 [Racial discrimination], 28 November 2023
128
HC Deb, 16 October 2023, cc25-6
129
David Lammy MP, Labour will work for a Palestinian state, The Guardian, 4 November 2023
130
David Lammy MP, Labour will oppose expulsion of Palestinians […], The Guardian, 9 December 2023
131
HC Deb, 11 December 2023, c222WH

24 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

On 18 December, the Official Opposition backed the Government’s call for a

“sustainable ceasefire”, arguing it would act as a “a foot-in-the-door” to
wider political talks, including on a two-state solution. 132

Other parties and Members

The Leader of the SNP Group in the House of Commons, Stephen Flynn, said
peace will require the defeat of Hamas, the opening of humanitarian
corridors to Gaza and protection of civilians and international leadership. 133
He has called for an “immediate ceasefire”. 134

SNP Defence Spokesperson, Martin Docherty-Hughes, has also said the UK

Government should “cease extending arms licences to the state of Israel and
to immediately halt the export of weapons or components” to the country. 135

The Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Alicia Kearns (Con) has urged the
Government to ensure Israel adheres to international law when conducting
military operations against Hamas in Gaza. She has also called for the UK to
appoint a special envoy for the Middle East peace process. 136

On 18 December, Alicia Kearns argued that Israel’s actions in Gaza had “gone
past self-defence” and that “international law had been broken” by Israel (as
well as by Hamas).137

On 17 December, former Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace, also argued that

Israel’s “Israel’s original legal authority of self-defence is being undermined
by its own actions” in Gaza, including through “collective punishment and
forced movement of civilians”, and it risked extending the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict. 138 Former FCDO Minister, Vicky Ford, also called for an “immediate
ceasefire” to create a “political reality” for two-state solution. 139

The Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Ed Davey, Alicia Kearns and a
number of other MPs have also called upon the Government to proscribe
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist group (see
section 4.4). Iran has provided past support to Hamas. 140

Sir Ed Davey has called for a “immediate bilateral ceasefire” between Israel
and Hamas as a “step towards peace”. 141

132
Rishi Sunak piles pressure on Israel for ‘sustainable ceasefire’ […], The Independent, 18 December
2023
133
HC Deb, 16 October 2023, c28
134
SNP, We want peace—the UK Government is failing to co-operate […], 14 November 2023
135
HC Deb, 12 December 2023, c226WH
136
HC Deb, 16 October 2023, c29
137
Israel has gone beyond self-defence in Gaza, Tory MP […] says, BBC News, 18 December 2023
138
Ben Wallace MP, Netanyahu’s tactics are weakening Israel, The Telegraph, 17 December 2023
139
Kit Malthouse MP on Twitter/X, Letter to Foreign Secretary, 18 December 2023
140
HC Deb, 16 October 2023, cc28-9
141
Liberal Democrats, An immediate bilateral ceasefire in Israel and Gaza, 12 November 2023

25 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

 2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

3.3 Parliamentary votes

Commons vote on amendments to the Loyal Address

On 15 November, the House of Commons voted on two amendments to the
Motion for the Loyal Address (The King’s Speech debates) made by Labour
and the SNP which considered the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Neither
amendment passed. 142

The Labour amendment, amendment (r), welcomed the announcement of

temporary humanitarian pauses in the conflict but called for them to be
extended as a “necessary step to an enduring cessation of fighting as soon as
possible”. It was defeated by 290 votes to 183. 143 The amendment can be read
in full in Hansard for 15 November 2023, at column 674.

The SNP’s amendment (h) called on the Government to “join with the
international community in urgently pressing all parties to agree to an
immediate ceasefire”. It was defeated by 293 votes to 125. 144 The amendment
can be read in full in Hansard for 15 November 2023, at columns 755 to 757

Responding for the Government, the Minister for Policing, Chris Philp said:

A ceasefire with Hamas in place cannot be just. Hamas have said that they
intend to destroy Israel, and that they would once again perpetrate atrocities
like those committed on 7 October. They continue to hold hostages, including
children and British citizens, and they continue to fire rockets into Israel. To
ask Israel to cease firing unilaterally would not be fair or just. 145

Scottish Parliament motion

On 21 November 2023, the Scottish Parliament supported a SNP Government
motion by 90 votes to 28 that condemned the Hamas attack on 7 October,
demanded the unconditional release of hostages taken by Hamas, the
upholding of international humanitarian law, and for an immediate
humanitarian ceasefire. 146

The full motion is available on the Scottish Parliament’s website, The situation
in the Middle East, S6011342, 21 November 2023 and the full debate in the
Parliament’s Official report for 21 November 2023.

142
HC Deb, 15 November 2023, cc674-764
143
HC Deb, 15 November 2023, cc755-57
144
HC Deb, 15 November 2023, cc757-761
145
HC Deb, 15 November 2023, c753
146
Scottish Parliament, The situation in the Middle East, S6M-11342, 21 November 2023

26 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

 2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

4 UK Government actions

4.1 UK diplomatic activity

Since 8 October 2023, several UK Government ministers, including the Prime

Minister and the Foreign Secretary, Lord Cameron, have met with leaders and
ministers of Israel, Turkey, Jordan, Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the
Palestinian Authority, Qatar, and the Arab League to discuss the conflict. 147

UK Prime Minister’s contact with Israeli Prime Minister

On 8 October 2023 the UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, spoke with Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 148 Mr Sunak said the UK would “continue to
provide [support to Israel]—whether that’s diplomatic, intelligence or
security support—as they need”. 149

Mr Sunak has reiterated Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas:

Agreed [with Mr Netanyahu] that Hamas can never again be able to

perpetrate atrocities against the Israeli people. Noting that Hamas has
enmeshed itself in the civilian population in Gaza, the Prime Minister said it
was important to take all possible measures to protect ordinary Palestinians
and facilitate humanitarian aid. 150

The Prime Minister has also raised Israeli settler violence in the West Bank
directly with Mr Netanyahu and the “need to allow more aid into Gaza [and]
to take all possible measures to minimise civilian casualties”. 151

Prime Minister’s contact with Palestinian Authority

Mr Sunak has met with the leader of the Palestinian Authority, President
Mahmoud Abbas. They discussed avoiding further escalation and ensuring
calm in the West Bank, the UK’s support for the Palestinian Authority in trying
to secure peace and security, and humanitarian support for Gaza.

147
For sources, see section 6 of the Commons Library briefing, Israel and the Occupied Palestinian
Territories: A parliamentary reading list (2020-23)
148
Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), PM call with Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel, 8 October 2023
149
Sunak says UK is “poised” to offer Israel military help if required, The Guardian, 9 October 2023
150
PMO, PM call with Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel, 13 October 2023 and PM meeting with the
Prime Minister of Israel, 19 October 2023
151
HC Deb, 7 November 2023, c17

27 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

The Prime Minister also reiterated the UK’s “support [for] a two-state solution,
with a Palestinian state existing alongside a safe and secure Israel”. 152

Prime Minister’s contact with other regional leaders

The Prime Minister has also been in contact with other Middle East leaders:

• Egypt: Mr Sunak noted Egypt’s “historic role” in the region, including in

seeking de-escalation. He offered UK support to keep the Rafah border
crossing open for humanitarian and consular reasons. 153

• Jordan: The Prime Minister spoke to King Abdullah II as part of the King’s
tour of European states seeking an end to the conflict. 154

• Turkey: Issues discussed included the peace process and aid to Gaza. 155

• Saudi Arabia: Issues discussed included de-escalation and Iranian proxy

groups in the region (such as Hezbollah in Lebanon). 156

• Qatar: The Prime Minister discussed areas of cooperation including the

safe passage of aid to Gaza and negotiations to release hostages. 157

• Republic of Cyprus: They discussed the repatriation of British nationals

via the country. 158

Foreign Secretary contact with Iran

In November 2023, as Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly spoke to Iran’s
Foreign Minister to call for Iran to use its influence with groups in the region to
prevent escalation. 159

In December 2023, the Foreign Secretary, Lord Cameron, also told Iran’s
Foreign Minister that Iran “shares responsibility” for Houthi attacks on Red
Sea shipping. 160

152
PMO, PM call with President Abbas of the Palestinian Authority, 16 October 2023 and PM meeting
with the President of the Palestinian Authority, 20 October 2023
153
PMO, PM call with President el-Sisi, 12 October 2023 and PM meeting with President el-Sisi, 20
October 2023
154
Jordan’s King heads to Europe to garner support […], Asharq Al-Aswat, 14 October 2023
155
PMO, PM call with President Erdoğan of Turkey, 16 October 2023
156
PMO, PM meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman […], 19 October 2023
157
PMO, PM meeting with the Amir of Qatar, 20 October 2023
158
PMO, PM call with President Christodoulides of Cyprus, 18 October 2023
159
FCDO, Foreign Secretary’s call with Iranian Foreign Minister, 3 November 2023
160
Lord Cameron on X/Twitter, Spoke to Amir-Abdollahian today about Houthi attacks […], 31
December 2023

28 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

 2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

4.2 Deployment of UK military forces

On 13 October 2023, the UK Government announced it would deploy some UK

military assets to the eastern Mediterranean to “support Israel, reinforce
regional stability and prevent escalation.” Assets deployed are: 161

• 12 maritime patrol and surveillance aircraft, to patrol against the

potential transfer of weapons to terrorist groups.

• A Royal Navy task group to support any potential humanitarian efforts.

The group includes aircraft, helicopters, a company of royal marines,
and two ships (RFS Lyme Bay and RFA Angus).

• An additional destroyer, HMS Diamond, to support Operation Kipion, the

UK’s existing maritime presence in the Gulf and Indian Ocean.162 It has
been redeployed to support the coalition in the Red Sea (see section 2).

• Around 2,500 military personnel across the region (up around 1,000
since 7 October). 163 Some additional personnel have also been moved to
Tel Aviv, Beirut, and Jordan with the aim of protecting British military
personnel and citizens. 164 The Government has also requested existing UK
military forces in the region to bolster their contingency plans. 165

The Secretary of State for Defence has said there is “not going to be a
deployment” of UK forces in Israel or the Occupied Palestinian Territories
(including in the period following the conflict). He said any military action by
UK forces will be in defence of British citizens and British interests. 166

On 3 January 2024, the Secretary of State also said the “UK will not hesitate to
take necessary and proportionate action” against the Houthis if their actions
in the Red Sea continue. 167 Diplomatic means to contain these activities are
also being pursued. 168

From 5 December, the UK Government extended existing unarmed

surveillance flights over the eastern Mediterranean to include Gaza. These
flights are tasked solely with locating hostages. Announcing the action, the
Defence Secretary said that “only information relating to hostage rescue will
be passed to the relevant authorities responsible for hostage rescue”. 169

The Commons Library research briefing, UK forces in the Middle East, provides
background on the UK’s recent military presence in the region.

UK military and other aid to Israel

In December, the Ministry of Defence said that, during the current conflict, it
would provide Israel with “only defensive [military] matériel, or matériel that
might help with the recovery of hostages”. 170

29 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

 2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

To 11 December, no UK military equipment has been provided. The UK has

provided some life-saving medical supplies, including defibrillators, to Israel
since 7 October. 171
No UK Government financial support has been provided to Israel during the
conflict. Israel is ineligible to receive aid from the UK’s aid budget under
internationally agreed aid rules because it is a high-income economy. 172

4.3 UK humanitarian aid

Since 7 October 2023, the UK Government has announced £60 million in aid
for the OPTs. 173 This is additional to earlier commitments announced in July
and September 2023 which totalled £27 million in aid during 2023/24.174 It has
also appointed a humanitarian coordinator to support aid delivery. 175

The new funding will provide essential food items and services such as food,
water, and emergency shelter. It will be spent via “trusted partners”, such as
UN agencies. The Government says the UK provides no funding to Hamas and
all funding to the OPTs “undergoes rigorous oversight”. 176

The first UK flight to deliver aid to Egypt left on 25 October 2023. Supplies are
being distributed via the Egyptian Red Crescent.177 As of 6 December, four
flights have taken place.178 On 2 January 2024, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Lyme

161
PQ 48 [Military aircraft: Mediterranean region], 12 November 2023
162
Ministry of Defence, Defence Secretary sends Royal Navy destroyer east of Suez, 30 November 2023
163
Ministry of Defence, Defence Secretary visits Israel and OPTs […], 7 December 2023
164
HC Deb, 20 November 2023, c4
165
PMO, Prime Minister deploys UK military to Eastern Mediterranean […], 13 October 2023
166
HC Deb, 5 December 2023, cc218, 219
167
Grant Shapps MP X/Twitter, The UK will not hesitate to take necessary […], 3 January 2024
168
Grant Shapps MP, We must protect the Red Sea from Houthi rebels, The Telegraph, 1 January 2024;
UK is ready to attack Houthi rebels, says Grant Shapps, The Telegraph, 1 January 2024
169
HCWS90 [Israel and Gaza], 5 December 2023; HC Deb, 5 December 2023, c221
170
HC Deb, 5 December 2023, c219
171
PQ 5417 [Israel: Military aid], 11 December 2023; PQ 5416 [Israel: Military aid], 11 December 2023
172
OECD, Development Assistance Committee: List of Official Development Assistance recipients
173
HCWS1091 [Update on humanitarian situation and UK humanitarian efforts in Gaza], 24 October
2023; FCDO, UK commits further support to get aid into Gaza, 24 November 2023
174
FCDO, Annual report and accounts 2022 to 2023, July 2023, p268 and FCDO, Foreign Secretary
announces new support for almost 6 million Palestinian refugees, 13 September 2023
175
FCDO, UK steps up humanitarian aid commitments to Gaza, 21 December 2023
176
PMO, UK announces £10m humanitarian aid for civilians in OPTs, 16 October 2023
177
Ministry of Defence and FCDO, Humanitarian aid to support Palestinian civilians, 25 October 2023
178
HC Deb, 5 December 2023, c211

30 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

 2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

Bay arrived in Egypt with supplies.179 According to Reuters, the shipment was
delayed as it was awaiting clarity on whether it could sail directly to Gaza. 180

On 14 November 2023 the UK issued a general licence to facilitate the delivery

of humanitarian aid and funding from the UN and other select humanitarian
organisations to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. This licence
provides for limited exemptions from the UK sanctions regime for
humanitarian funding and material only. 181

Separately, the Scottish Government has announced £750,000 towards the

UNRWA in Gaza. 182

UK Government advice for those making donations

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office page, Gaza: what you
can do to help, provides advice for individuals and companies making safe
donations to support the humanitarian response in Gaza.

4.4 New UK sanctions and visa restrictions

Sanctions
Before the conflict began in October 2023, the UK applied sanctions against
Hamas and a range of Iran-aligned groups and individuals in the Middle East,
such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas.183 UK sanctions include travel
bans, asset freezes and arms embargoes. The UK has announced further
sanctions in coordination with the US (see below, section 5.3):

• 14 November 2023: Six more designations to its counter terrorism

sanctions list, including four members of Hamas and two financers of the
group. The action was coordinated with the United States. 184

• 13 December: Sanctions against leaders and financers of Hamas and

Palestinian Islamic Jihad. 185

179
FCDO, First UK maritime shipment of lifesaving aid for Gaza arrives in Egypt, 2 January 2024
180
Screened in Cyprus, British and Cypriot aid heads to Gaza via Egypt, Reuters, 2 January 2024
181
Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation and FCDO, OFSI General Licence INT/2023/3749168, as
amended 20 December 2023
182
Scottish Government, Humanitarian aid for Gaza, 2 November 2023
183
Commons Library, Iran’s influence in the Middle East, section 3.2
184
FCDO, The UK sanctions list; FCDO, UK and US hit Hamas leadership with targeted sanctions, 14
November 2023
185
FCDO, UK and US target Hamas with new sanctions to isolate terror group, 13 December 2023

31 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

• 14 December: Designations of seven individuals, including the Hamas

representative to Iran, members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard
Corps and the Palestine Branch of the IRGC. 186

UK sanctions against Iran and proscription of IRGC

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was established as a
counterweight to Iran’s regular armed forces following the Iranian revolution
of 1979 that overthrew the Shah. In addition to personnel in Iran, it exerts
wider influence in the region by providing money, technology, and training.187
The UK sanctions the entirety of the IRGC under its nuclear sanctions, meaning
it applies asset freezes and travel bans. In response to calls for its
proscription, the Government says it will keep this under review. This would
create offences in the UK for being a member, among other things. 188
In December 2023, Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron described Iran as a
“malign” actor in the region and the world and said it must be sent “an
incredibly clear message that this escalation will not be tolerated”. However,
he said proscribing the IRGC was “not something that either the intelligence
agencies or the police are calling for” and reiterated that the Government can
sanction individual IRGC members. 189
For more information about Iran’s influence in the Middle East, the actions of
the IRGC, and UK sanctions against Iran and Iran-aligned groups, see the
Commons Library research briefings, Iran’s influence in the Middle East, 2023,

Visa restrictions
On 14 December 2023, Lord Cameron announced that the UK would ban those
responsible for settler violence from entering the UK and called on Israel to
take “stronger action to stop settler violence” in the West Bank and “hold the
preparators accountable”. 190 This follows a similar action by the United States
in the same month (see below, section 5.3).

186
FCDO, New Iranian sanction regime comes into force, 14 December 2023
187
Commons Library, Iran’s influence in the Middle East, p8
188
HC Deb, 6 July 2023, c1001
189
David Cameron: when Rishi asked me to do this job […], The Telegraph, 23 December 2023
190
UK Foreign Secretary announces ban on ‘extremist Israeli settlers’, BBC News, 14 December 2023

32 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

 2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

5 International response

5.1 United Nations

Statements by the UN Secretary General

In response to the conflict, the UN Secretary General, António Guterres, has:

• Condemned the “abhorrent attacks by Hamas and others against Israeli

towns”.

• “Recognized” the “legitimate grievances of the Palestinian people” but

said “nothing can justify these acts of terror”.

• Called for Hamas to immediately cease attacks and release all hostages.

• Called for Israel to conduct its military operations in accordance with

international humanitarian law.

• Said he is “deeply distressed” by the Israeli announcement of a

“complete siege of the Gaza strip” and called for humanitarian access
for UN agencies.

• Called for a negotiated peace to the conflict in line with UN resolutions

for a two-state solution to the conflict. 191

Addressing the UN Security Council on 25 October, the Secretary General said

that to “ease epic suffering, make the delivery of aid easier and safer, and
facilitate the release of hostages, I reiterate my appeal for an immediate
humanitarian ceasefire”. 192

On 6 December, the UN Secretary General invoked Article 99 of the UN

Charter (the seventh time it has been invoked since 1945),193 calling on the UN
Security Council to declare a humanitarian ceasefire. In the resulting Security
Council session, the Council did not pass a resolution (see next pages). 194

For further UN activity, see the UN page on the Israel-Gaza crisis and UN, How
the UN works behind the scenes during crises, 17 October 2023.

191
UN, Press conference: António Guterres, 9 October 2023
192
UN, Amid increasingly dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, Secretary General tells Security Council
Hamas attacks cannot justify collective punishment of Palestinian people […], 24 October 2023
193
Just Security, UN Secretary General involves Article 99 […], 7 December 2023
194
UN, Gaza: Guterres invokes “most powerful tool” article 99 […], 6 December 2023

33 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

UN Security Council
Resolution passed on 22 December 2023
On 22 November 2023, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 2720.

Russia and the US abstained on the resolution, with the remaining 13

members voting in favour. Russia, which proposed an amendment calling for
a ceasefire, said it abstained because the resolution did not call for this. 195

The full text of UN Security Council Resolution 2720 (2023) can be found on the
UN Library site. The resolution “demanded” humanitarian aid to Gaza be
increased, with the Council stating it:

Calls for urgent steps to immediately allow safe, unhindered, and expanded
humanitarian access and to create the conditions for a sustainable cessation
of hostilities […]

Demands that they [the parties to the conflict] allow, facilitate and enable the
immediate, safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale
directly to the Palestinian civilian population […]

Demands that the parties to the conflict allow and facilitate the use of all
available routes to and throughout the entire Gaza Strip, including border
crossings […]

Demands the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, as well as

ensuring humanitarian access to address medical needs of all hostages […]

Demands the provision of fuel to Gaza at levels that will meet requisite
humanitarian needs. […]

The resolution also requested the UN Secretary General appoint a senior

humanitarian and reconstruction coordinator with responsibility for
“facilitating, coordinating, monitoring, and verifying” in Gaza. Sigrid Kaag
was appointed to the role on 26 December 2023. 196

The UK said it voted in favour of the resolution to “get more humanitarian aid
into Gaza” and welcomed its call for the parties to work towards a
“sustainable cessation of hostilities”. 197

Israel’s representative, Brett Jonathan Miller, criticised the council not

condemning Hamas in the resolution and said Israel was already facilitating
humanitarian aid into Gaza. The Palestinian representative, Riyad Mansour
(who represents the Palestinian Authority, which controls the West Bank but
not Gaza), said the resolution was a “step in the right direction” and “must be
accompanied by massive pressure for an immediate ceasefire”. 198

195
UN, Security Council adopts key resolution on Gaza crisis […], 22 December 2023
196
UN, Ms Sigrid Kaag of the Netherlands […], 26 December 2023
197
FCDO, The UK supports Security Council resolution 2720 on aid to Gaza, 222 December 2023
198
UN, Security Council adopts key resolution on Gaza crisis […], 22 December 2023

34 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

Resolution passed on 15 November 2023

On 15 November 2023, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 2712.

The US, UK and Russia abstained on the resolution, while the remaining 12
members of the Council voted in favour. 199

The UK and US said they would not vote in favour of the resolution because it
did not condemn the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023. The UK representative
to the Security Council, Dame Barbara Woodward, nonetheless said it was
“vital and overdue for the Council to speak on this crisis and we [the UK]
strongly support the resolution’s purpose: to get aid in, and hostages out”. 200

Russia had proposed an amendment for a ceasefire abstained on the

unamended resolution.

The full text of UN Security Council Resolution 2712 (2023) can be found on the
UN Library site. In the below extract, the Council said it:

Demands that all parties comply with their obligations under international
law, including international humanitarian law […]

Calls for urgent and extended humanitarian pauses and corridors throughout
the Gaza Strip for a sufficient number of days to enable, consistent with
international humanitarian law, the full, rapid, safe, and unhindered
humanitarian access […]

Calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages […]

Calls on all parties to refrain from depriving the civilian population in the Gaza
Strip of basic services and humanitarian assistance indispensable to their
survival […]

The Israeli representative to the UN, Gilad Erdan, criticised the resolution for
failing to condemn Hamas and argued it was “meaningless.” He said Israel
“will continue to act until Hamas is destroyed and the hostages are returned”
and that Israel will “continue acting according to international law”. 201

The Palestinian representative said the resolution should have echoed the call
of the UN General Assembly (see below) for an “immediate, durable and
sustained humanitarian truce leading to a cessation of hostilities”. 202

199
For this and following paragraph: UN, Israel-Palestine crisis: Security Council calls for urgent,
extended humanitarian pauses in Gaza, 15 November 2023 and UN, Security Council 9479 meeting,
15 November 2023
200
FCDO, It is right the Security Council calls for a humanitarian pause in Gaza […], 15 November 2023
201
Ambassador Gilad Erdan on Twitter/X, The UN Security Council’s resolution is disconnected from
reality […], 15 November 2023
202
UN, Israel-Palestine crisis: Security Council calls for urgent, extended humanitarian pauses in Gaza,
15 November 2023

35 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

Previous and later attempts to pass a Security Council resolution

For it to pass, any resolution of the 15-member UN Security Council requires
nine votes in favour and no vetoes from the five permanent members of the
United States, Russia, China, the UK, and France. 203

Before the 15 November resolution, the UN Security Council considered four

draft resolutions on the Israel-Hamas conflict. Disagreements mostly focused
on whether a resolution should seek a “humanitarian ceasefire” or
“humanitarian pause” in the conflict and if the resolution should condemn the
actions of Hamas on 7 October. 204

Unsuccessful resolutions were considered on 16 October (proposed by

Russia), 205 18 October (drafted by Brazil),206 and 25 October (when alternative
resolutions were proposed by Russia and the United States).207 A series of
drafts were also proposed before that of 22 December 2023 passed. 208

The UK representative said the Government had been seeking a “balanced

text” in the Security Council which included condemnation of Hamas, a re-
affirmation of Israel’s right to self-defence, the protection of civilians, and the
delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. 209

In response to the UN Secretary General’s invocation of Article 99, the UN

Security Council met on 8 December. The US vetoed a resolution put forward
by the UAE, with the US representative arguing an immediate ceasefire would
“only plant the seeds for the next war, because Hamas has no desire to see a
durable peace”. The UK abstained on the vote, citing the resolution’s failure
to condemn Hamas. The other 13 members of the Council voted in favour
(including the three other permanent members, France, Russia, and China). 210

In contrast to the language of the 15 November resolution (UN 2712 (2023)),

the draft resolution “demanded” an immediate ceasefire, the release of
hostages, and humanitarian access.

UN General Assembly
Unlike the Security Council, votes of the General Assembly (constituted of all
UN member-states) are non-binding.

203
UN, Security Council
204
See next paragraph for sources on these debates
205
UN, Israel-Gaza crisis: Competing Security Council resolutions reveal diplomatic fault lines, 17
October 2023; UN, Security Council rejects Russian resolution on Gaza, 16 October 2023; FCDO, We
cannot support a resolution which fails to condemn Hamas’ terror attacks, 17 October 2023
206
US vetoes UN Security Council action on Israel, Gaza, Reuters, 18 October 2023
207
UN, Deadlock deepens as Security Council rejects competing resolutions […], 25 October 2023
208
UN vote on Gaza aid delayed […], Reuters, 20 December 2023
209
UN, Deadlock deepens as Security Council rejects competing resolutions […], 25 October 2023
210
This and following paragraph, UN, Security Council fails to adopt resolution demanding immediate
humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza on account of veto by United States, 8 December 2023

36 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

 2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

On 27 October, the General Assembly voted 121 to 14 (with 44 abstentions) for

an “immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce leading to a
cessation of hostilities”. The resolution also called for all parties to
“immediately and fully comply” with obligations under international law, for
Hamas to release its hostages, and for Israel to rescind the order for civilians
to evacuate northern Gaza. 211

An amendment led by Canada and supported by the United States failed. The
amendment would have “unequivocally reject[ed] and condemn[ed] the
terrorist attacks by Hamas that took place in Israel starting on 7 October 2023
and the taking of hostages”. 212

Israel criticised the resolution passed by the General Assembly as failing to

acknowledge Israel’s right to defend itself and lack of condemnation of
Hamas. The United States also voted against the resolution, while the UK
abstained.213 Addressing the General Assembly, the UK Minister for the Middle
East, Lord Ahmad, said that the draft resolution “could have been clearer” on
condemning Hamas. 214

On 12 December, the UN General Assembly voted in favour of a resolution

“demanding” the release of hostages, an immediate humanitarian ceasefire,
and for all parties to comply with international humanitarian law. A total of
153 states voted in favour, 10 against (including the US and Israel) and 23
abstentions (including the UK and Germany). Two amendments condemning
the Hamas attack on 7 October did not gain sufficient votes to pass.215

5.2 G7 leaders and ministers

The G7 is constituted of Canada, France, Italy, Germany, Japan, the United

States, and United Kingdom, together with the European Union. The group
has issued three joint statements on the conflict since November. 216

In its most recent statement of 6 December, G7 leaders:

• Condemned the terror attacks by Hamas on 7 October and continuing

rocket attacks against Israel.

211
UN, Gaza crisis: General Assembly adopts resolution calling for “humanitarian truce”, civilian
protection, 27 October 2023
212
UN, Gaza crisis: General Assembly adopts resolution calling for “humanitarian truce”, civilian
protection, 27 October 2023
213
UN News Centre on Twitter/X, UN General Assembly adopts resolution […], 27 October 2023
214
FCDO, Hope and humanity must win out against the scourge of aggression and terrorism, 27 October
2023
215
UN, UN General Assembly votes by large majority for immediate humanitarian ceasefire during
emergency session, 12 December 2023
216
FCDO, G7 foreign ministers’ meeting in Japan, 8 November 2023, section 1; FCDO, Israel and Gaza:
G7 foreign ministers’ statement, 28 November 2023

37 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

 2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

• Emphasised Israel’s right to defend itself in accordance with

international law.

• Called for the release of hostages held by Hamas without preconditions.

• Supported “humanitarian pauses and corridors” to allow humanitarian

assistance to be delivered and called for “more effective action” to
prevent the displacement of Palestinians and to deliver aid.

• Condemned “the rise in extremist settler violence against Palestinians”,

saying it undermined security and prospects for a lasting peace, and that
those who have committed crimes “must be held to account”.

• Called on regional actors, including Iran, Hamas, the Houthis, and

Hezbollah, to de-escalate and said the G7 would work to prevent the
conflict from escalating and to isolate Hamas.

• Said they remained committed to a Palestinian state as part of a two-

state solution. 217

5.3 United States

Statements
Nature of Israeli operations and position on a ceasefire
President Joe Biden has condemned the actions of Hamas as “pure,
unadulterated evil” and said the United States would “stand with Israel”. 218

While describing the Hamas attack as “like 15 9/11s” for Israel (a reference to
the September 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center), President Biden
“cautioned” Israel to avoid the “mistakes” he said the United States made
after the attack. He said Israel’s actions should be “deliberate” and follow
“an honest assessment about whether the path you are on will achieve” the
desired objectives. 219

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that Israel should “tak[e] every
possible precaution to avoid harming civilians”. 220 Following the resumption
of fighting on 1 December, he said:

it remains imperative that Israel put a premium on civilian protection. And

there does remain a gap […] between the intent to protect civilians and the
actual results that we’re seeing on the ground. 221

217
Prime Minister’s Office, G7 Leaders’ statement, 6 December 2023
218
White House, Remarks by President Biden on the terrorist attacks in Israel, 10 October 2023
219
White House, Remarks by President Biden on the October 7th terrorist attacks, 18 October 2023
220
US Department of State (DoS), Secretary Antony J Blinken remarks to the press, 15 October 2023
221
US DoS, Secretary Antony J Blinken and UK Foreign Secretary […], 7 December 2023

38 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

Speaking on 12 December, President Biden said Israel’s security “can rest on

the United States” but also that “indiscriminate bombing” by Israel meant the
country is “starting to lose” the support of European states and “most of the
world”. 222 The US Administration says it is “urging our Israeli counterparts to
be more careful and more deliberate”. 223 Also on 12 December, Prime Minister
Netanyahu said Israel had received “full backing” from the United States for
its ground operations and “blocking international pressure to stop the
war”. 224

President Biden has said a ceasefire will only be considered once Hamas has
released all hostages. 225 Secretary of State Blinken has argued that:

[…] those calling for an immediate ceasefire have an obligation to explain how
to address the unacceptable result it would likely bring about: Hamas left in
place, with more than 200 hostages, with the capacity and stated intent to
repeat October 7th – again and again and again. 226

Request to Congress for funding

The Biden Administration has requested an additional US$14.3 billion from
Congress to support Israel: US$10.6 billion for air and missile defence support
and US$3.7 billion for embassy support and foreign military financing. Funds
for additional humanitarian assistance have also been requested. 227

However, the requested funds are currently subject to negotiation with

Congressional Republicans who are seeking action on US border security. 228
The President has used emergency powers to provide some munitions. 229

Statements on the future of Gaza

Speaking on 2 December 2023, Vice President Kamala Harris said the United
States would not support Hamas retaining control of Gaza or Israeli
occupation of Gaza. Instead, she said Gaza should be unified with the West
Bank under the Palestinian Authority:

Five principles guide our approach for post-conflict Gaza: no forcible

displacement, no reoccupation, no siege or blockade, no reduction in territory,
and no use of Gaza as a platform for terrorism.

The international community must dedicate significant resources to support

short- and long-term recovery in Gaza […]

The Palestinian Authority Security Forces must be strengthened to eventually

assume security responsibilities in Gaza. Until then, there must be security

222
Biden takes a tougher stance on Israel’s ‘indiscriminate bombing’ of Gaza, AP, 12 December 2023
223
White House, Press briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre […], 13 December 2023
224
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Statement by PM Netanyahu, 12 December 2023
225
Biden says “we can talk” about Israel-Hamas ceasefire after hostages are released, The Hill, 10
October 2023
226
US DoS, Secretary Antony J Blinken at a press availability, 8 November 2023
227
What’s in Biden’s $106 billion supplemental funding request, Reuters, 20 October 2023
228
White House to intensify push for Ukraine aid and border security deal, Reuters, 10 November 2023
229
Biden admin uses emergency authority to approve tank shells sale, The Hill, 12 December 2023

39 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

arrangements that are acceptable to Israel, the people of Gaza, the

Palestinian Authority, and the international partners. And to reiterate — and
this is very important — terrorists will not be permitted to continue to threaten
Israel. […]

The Palestinian Authority must be revitalized […] this revitalized [Palestinian

Authority] must have the capacity to govern Gaza, as well as the West Bank
[…]

A two-state solution, […] remains the best path, we believe, toward a durable
peace. The President and I are committed to that goal. […]

When this conflict ends, Hamas cannot control Gaza, and Israel must be
secure. Palestinians need a hopeful political horizon, economic opportunity,
and freedom […]. 230

In January 2024, the State Department condemned statements by two Israeli

ministers advocating the resettlement of Palestinians outside of Gaza as
“inflammatory and irresponsible”. The department reiterated its position that
Gaza “is Palestinian land and will remain Palestinian land” after the conflict
(though without Hamas in control). 231

New US sanctions
There have been eight rounds of US sanctions against Hamas and other
related entities, such as the Houthis or IRGC, announced since 7 October:

• 18 October: The US Treasury department imposed new sanctions on

members of Hamas and its financial facilitators. These included a
“Qatar-based financial facilitator” and members of Hamas’s investment
network in Turkey and Algeria.232

• 27 October: The US State Department sanctioned individuals involved in

training Hamas members and organisations with ties to Hamas,
Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Iranian Bonyad Shahid. 233

• 14 November: The US designated six individuals linked to Hamas or the

Palestinian Islamic Jihad. This was done in coordination with the UK. 234

• 27 November: Sanctions targeting the Iran-aligned Iraqi militia group,

Kataib Hezbollah, and a member of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard
Corps, were announced in response to attacks on US forces in Iraq. 235

230
White House, Remarks by Vice President Harris on the conflict […], 2 December 2023
231
US DoS, Rejection of irresponsible statements on resettlement of Palestinians […], 2 January 2024
232
US Department of the Treasury, Treasury sanctions Hamas operatives […], 18 October 2023
233
US DoS, Designating individuals and entities with ties to terrorist organisations, 27 October 2023
234
US DoS, Designating additional Hamas and Palestinian Jihad officials […], 14 November 2023
235
US issues sanctions targeting Iran-aligned militia groups […], Reuters, 17 November 2023

40 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

• 7 December: Sanctions targeted 13 individuals and entities responsible

for providing funding to the Houthis in Yemen. 236

• 13 December 2023: Sanctions targeted 16 financers and others linked to

Hamas, including individuals based in Turkey and Lebanon. 237

• 14 December 2023: The sanctions targeted the IRGC and Palestinian

Islamic Jihad.238

• 28 December 2023: One individual and three entities were targeted for
providing financial assistance to the Houthis. 239

US military assistance and deployments

The United States has deployed additional military assets to the region to act
as a deterrent against regional escalation by Iran-aligned groups, to support
US troops already in the region, and to provide military assistance to Israel. It
is also leading an international maritime coalition to secure maritime trade in
the Red Sea (see section 2). Other actions include:

• Deploying two aircraft carriers and accompanying warships to the

Eastern Mediterranean in a “deterrence posture” (one was withdrawn in
January 2024).240 The US has also deployed a submarine. 241

• Placing 2,000 US troops on a “heightened state of readiness” to respond

to any deterioration in the security environment in the Middle East.
However, no decisions have been made to deploy any forces. 242 As of 2
November, an additional 900 US troops have been redeployed to the
region (these include some of the 2,000 previously announced). 243

• Deploying a squadron of F-16 aircraft to “enhance the ability of US forces

to defend themselves” in the region. 244

• Sending additional missile defences to Israel. 245

• Sending military advisers to Israel to aid its military response. 246

236
US DoS, Taking actions in response to Houthi regional attacks, 7 December 2023
237
US DoT, US and UK target additional Hamas finance officials and representatives, 13 December 2023
238
US DoT, US and UK target IRGC-QF support to Hamas and other proxy groups, 14 December 2023
239
US DoS, Countering Houthi maritime attacks, 28 December 2023
240
US second carrier strike group […], CNN, 15 October 2023; US navy’s largest aircraft carrier
returning to US […], CNN, 2 January 2024
241
US DoD, US has four objectives in the Middle East, 6 November 2023
242
US DoD, Statement from Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh […], 17 October 2023
243
US DoD, US military continues to focus on supporting Israel, Ukraine, 26 October 2023
244
US DoD, F-16s head to Middle East to help protect US troops, 24 October 2023
245
US to send two Iron dome batteries to Israel, The Hill, 25 October 2023
246
Pentagon rushes defenses and advisers to Middle East […], AP, 24 October 2023

41 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

 2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

US humanitarian assistance
The US has announced US$121 million in humanitarian assistance for Gaza and
the West Bank to support over one million people affected by conflict. It will
be provided through “trusted partners” such as UN agencies.247

Visa restrictions for involvement in West Bank violence

On 5 December, the US State Department announced it would introduce a
policy of visa restrictions targeting individuals committing acts of violence or
restricting civilian access to essential services and goods in the West Bank. 248

The Department said it condemned “attacks by violent Israeli extremists

against Palestinians, and those by violent Palestinians extremists against
Israelis” and expected “dozens” of individuals and their families to be subject
to the restrictions. 249

5.4 European Union

Statements
EU High Representative Josep Borrell has criticised the Hamas offensive and
condemned attacks on civilians and terrorist actions. 250 In December, he
backed the call of the UN Secretary General for a humanitarian ceasefire. 251

Josep Borrell has also argued EU states should increase their cooperation
with Arab states to “make peace between Arab countries and Israel” and that
any negotiations should involve the Palestinians (though not Hamas, which
the EU considers to be a terrorist group), arguing that without that “the cycle
of violence will restart again”.

A summit of EU leaders was held on 17 October, in which leaders condemned

the terrorist attacks of Hamas and said Israel had the right to defend itself in
line with humanitarian and international law. 252

A further summit took place on 26 October. A call for “pauses [in fighting] for
humanitarian need” was among the conclusions. 253 There has been continuing
division in the European Union, however. In December, the leaders of Malta,
Spain, Ireland, and Belgium requested the next EU summit call for an

247
White House, US announcement of humanitarian assistance […], 18 October 2023; USAID, The US
announces additional humanitarian assistance for Palestinian people, 3 December 2023
248
US DoS, Announcement of visa restriction policy to promote peace, security and stability in the
West Bank, 5 December 2023
249
US DoS, Press briefing, 5 December 2023
250
This and next paragraph from EU External Action, Press remarks by Joseph Borrell, 10 October 2023
251
Borrell backs UN call for humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, Politico, 7 December 2023
252
European Council, Video conference of the members of the European Council, 17 October 2023
253
European Council, Council conclusions, 26 and 27 October 2023, para 16

42 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

immediate humanitarian ceasefire to end the conflict, though no agreement

was reached at the summit. 254

On 17 December, France called for an “immediate and durable truce” in Gaza

to lead to a lasting truce,255 while Germany joined the UK in calling for a
“sustainable ceasefire” (see section 3.1).

Humanitarian assistance
On 9 October 2023 the EU said it would review its aid to the Palestinian
Authority to ensure no funding reaches terrorist groups. In November, the
review concluded that no EU aid funds were being accessed by Hamas. 256

The EU has pledged a total of €103 million in humanitarian aid for Gaza in
2023. In 2024, it is planning €125 million across Gaza and the West Bank. 257

The EU has also established a humanitarian air bridge to fly essential aid to
Egypt to deliver to humanitarian organisations in Gaza, 258 and said it was
exploring the potential for a maritime corridor from Cyprus to deliver aid.259
Israel’s Government agreed to a maritime route in December 2023.

Individual EU member states have also announced humanitarian assistance.

For example, France is deploying a naval ship to support Gaza hospitals and
states its total aid to the Occupied Palestinian Territories will be €110 million
in 2023. 260 Germany has committed €179 million for 2023. 261

Sanctions and visas restrictions

The European Union first added Hamas to its list of designated terrorist
organisations in 2003 (though this was subject to challenges in EU courts and
the group was most recently re-designated in 2021). 262 This means the group
is subject to freezing of funds and other financial assets and that no funds or
economic resources can be made available to them. 263

The European Union has not announced new sanctions against individual
members of Hamas since 7 October. However, on 11 December, the
Governments of France, Germany, and Italy called upon the EU to collectively

254
Spain, Ireland, Belgium, Malta want EU summit to call for [...] ceasefire, Reuters, 9 December 2023
255
French foreign minister calls for Gaza truce in visit to Israel, Le Monde, 17 December 2023
256
EU to continue aid to Palestinian after review […], Politico, 21 November 2023
257
EU announces 125 million in initial humanitarian aid for Palestinians for 2024, 8 December 2023
258
European Commission, EU launches Humanitarian Air Bridge operation [...], 16 October 2023
259
European Commission, Speech by President von der Leyen […], 9 November 2023
260
Permanent Mission of France to the UN, Statement by Ms Catherine Colonna, 24 October 2023 and
Macron: France to send navy ship to support Gaza hospitals, Politico, 25 October 2023
261
Federal Foreign Office, Food and medicine for Gaza: Germany has increased its assistance to
people in Gaza, 8 December 2023
262
Common Council Position 2003/651/CFSP of 12 September 2003; Top EU court returns Hamas to
terror list after 3-year break, Courthouse News Service, 23 November 2021
263
Council of the European Union, EU terrorist list: List of persons, groups and entities subject to
specific measures to combat terrorism

43 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

 2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

introduce sanctions against Hamas and its leaders. 264 France announced its
own additional sanctions against Hamas earlier in December,265 and it is also
considering sanctions against those involved in West Bank settler violence. 266

Following the US announcement of visa restrictions on those involved in

violence in the West Bank in December, EU High Representative Josep Borrell
said he would be proposing EU-wide sanctions, including travel bans, against
those involved.267

5.5 Russia

The Russian Government has described the October conflict as a “great

danger” for the region and blamed the “blocking by the West of the work of
the Middle East Quartet” for the lack of progress on a sustainable peace. 268 At
the UN Security Council, it has voted in favour of an immediate ceasefire.

The quartet is constituted of the UN, United States, European Union, and
Russia, with the role to help facilitate Middle East peace negotiations. Its last
statement was issued in November 2021, and meetings ceased after Russia’s
invasion of Ukraine. 269

Hamas leaders met with Russian officials in Moscow in late October. Issues
discussed included the release of hostages and evacuation of foreign
nationals from the region. 270

5.6 China

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said the country is “deeply

concerned” about the escalation and called for “relevant parties to remain
calm, exercise restraint, and immediately end the hostilities”. 271

On 21 November, following a meeting with a group of Muslim-majority

countries led by Saudi Arabia, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for an

264
Italy, France, Germany call for ad hoc EU sanctions on Hamas, Reuters, 11 December 2023
265
France freezes assets of Hamas leader Sinwar, Times of Israel, 5 December 2023
266
France weighing sanctions to address West Bank settler violence, Reuters, 11 December 2023
267
EU to propose sanctions on violent Israeli settlers in West Bank, Reuters, 11 December 2023
268
Arab League chief heads to Moscow to discuss Gaza crisis, Arab News, 8 October 2023
269
Office of the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Middle East Quartet and ,
There’s only one right way for Israel and Saudi Arabia to normalise relations, Haaretz, 29 June 2023
270
Hamas leaders arrive in Moscow as the Kremlin attempts to showcase its clout, New York Times, 26
October 2023
271
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Remarks on the escalation of tensions
between Palestine and Israel, 8 October 2023

44 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

 2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

immediate ceasefire and a peace conference to build international consensus

for a “comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the Palestinian issue”.272

China’s Government has also said that Israel’s actions in Gaza are “beyond
the scope of self-defence”. 273 It has also criticised Israel’s construction of
settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. 274

China has faced criticism from the United States and Israel for not
condemning Hamas, which it does not consider to be a terrorist group. 275

5.7 Arab League

The Arab League is an alliance of Arab states across the Middle East and
North Africa and seeks to support collaboration among its members. 276

Meeting in Cairo on 11 October 2023, the League issued a statement calling on

Israel to resume talks with the Palestinian Authority on securing a two-state
solution to the conflict. 277 The League’s Secretary General, Ahmed Abul Gheit,
also called for an immediate ceasefire, condemned attacks on civilians and
criticised Israel’s actions in Gaza as “collective punishment” prohibited by
international law.278

The League has also opposed Israel’s calls for Palestinians to move from
northern to southern Gaza, with some Arab states drawing parallels with the
1948 displacement of Palestinians during the First Arab–Israeli War. Israel’s
Government has defended the call as a “precautionary action” to minimise
casualties in Gaza,279 as has the UK (see section 3.1).

A joint meeting between the League and the Organization for Islamic
Cooperation (see section 6) was held in Saudi Arabia on 11 November 2023.
The resulting joint statement called for:

• an end to the conflict.

• the delivery of humanitarian aid, including fuel, into Gaza.

• the International Criminal Court to investigate Israel for “violations” in

Gaza. 280

272
China stepping up mediation efforts in Israel-Gaza war, BBC Monitoring, 21 November 2023
273
China: Israel’s actions in Gaza ‘beyond scope of self-defence’, Middle East Memo, 15 October 2023
274
Beijing opposes Israeli construction of settlements, BBC Monitoring, 22 December 2023
275
A closer look at China’s position on Hamas, BBC Monitoring, 1 November 2023
276
Council on Foreign Relations, Arab League, updated 25 May 2023
277
Arab ministers urge Israel to resume talks on two-state solution, The Guardian, 11 October 2023
278
Arab League chief calls for immediate ceasefire in Gaza, BBC Monitoring, 11 October 2023
279
Arab states say Palestinians must stay on their land as war escalates, Reuters, 14 October 2023
280
Arab-Islamic summit calls for end to Gaza war, BBC Monitoring, 11 November 2023

45 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

 2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

5.8 Organization for Islamic Cooperation

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has 57 member-states, and

says it aims to be “collective voice of the Muslim world”. 281

On 13 October 2023, the group’s Secretariat issued a statement to express “its

absolute rejection and condemnation of Israel” and what the OIC described
as Israel’s “calls for the forced displacement of Palestinian people.” The OIC
also called for the establishment of humanitarian corridors to Gaza. 282

On 29 October, a Secretariat statement condemned the “continued and

escalating Israeli military aggression against the Gaza strip”. 283

The OIC held a joint summit with the Arab League in November in which both
organisations called for an end to the conflict: See above, section 5.7.

5.9 Response of Middle Eastern states

Gulf Cooperation Council members

The Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Jassem Albudaiwi,
(whose members are Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the
United Arab Emirates/UAE) has called for an immediate ceasefire and cited
the “Israeli occupation forces” and “flagrant Israeli attacks against the
Palestinian people and holy sites” as “responsible for the current situation”. 284

Many Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the UAE, have
condemned the expansion of Israeli military operations into Gaza in late
October, as did Egypt and Lebanon. 285

The UAE, which signed the Abraham Accords with Israel in 2020, has
described the attacks by Hamas as “a serious and grave escalation” and
called on both parties to de-escalate and avoid an expansion of the
violence. 286 President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the UAE has
been the first Arab leader to speak to Mr Netanyahu since the Hamas attack.
The leaders have agreed to remain in contact. 287

281
OIC, About
282
OIC, OIC affirms its absolute rejection of calls for the forced displacement […], 13 October 2023
283
OIC, OIC strongly condemns the ongoing brutal Israeli aggression against Gaza, 29 October 2023
284
Saudi Arabia joins global calls for de-escalation […], Arab News, 7 October 2023
285
Arab states condemn Israel’s ground operation in Gaza, BBC Monitoring, 29 October 2023
286
UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UAE calls for protection of civilians […], 8 October 2023
287
Netanyahu speaks with UAE president in first call with Arab leader […], Al-Monitor, 16 October 2023

46 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

Bahrain, which also signed the Accords with Israel in 2020, says its
ambassador has returned from Israel. Israel’s foreign ministry says, “relations
between Israel and Bahrain are stable”. 288

Saudi Arabia, which has been in talks with Israel during 2023 to normalise its
relations with the country, has called for an “immediate halt” to the
conflict. 289 It also warned “of the risk that the situation could explode as a
result of the continued [Israeli] occupation, the denial of the Palestinian
people of their legitimate rights and the repeated systematic violation of their
holy places”. 290

In October, media reports suggest talks between Israel and Saudi Arabia on
the normalisation of diplomatic relations have been paused. 291 However, in
November the Biden Administration stated Saudi Arabia remains “interested”
in discussions on normalisation. 292

Egypt
Egypt has played an important role in negotiating past ceasefires in Gaza,
though it is also critical of Hamas. 293 President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has said
the Egyptian Government has made “intensive contact” with all parties to the
conflict and said any talks should “tackle the root causes” of the conflict. 294

On 21 October, Egypt hosted a one-day “peace summit”. The UK Foreign

Secretary and UN Secretary General were among the officials and ministers to
attend. 295 However, the summit did not result in any agreement. Egypt has
also proposed a phased peace plan for the conflict (see above, section 1).

Turkey and Qatar

Some Hamas leaders are based in Turkey and Qatar, though the Turkish
Government has reportedly asked some to leave following the 7 October
attacks. 296 Qatar, though also a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (see
above) does not consider Hamas a terrorist group (unlike Saudi Arabia and
the UAE, for example), and neither does Turkey. 297

288
Bahrain seeks to balance anger over Gaza with ties to Israel, US, Reuters, 24 November 2023
289
Saudi Arabia joins global calls for de-escalation of conflict […], Arab News, 7 October 2023
290
Saudi warns Israel, while Arab states differ amid deadly flare-up, BBC Monitoring, 7 October 2022
291
Saudi Arabia pauses normalisation talks with Israel […], France 24, 14 October 2023
292
White House: Saudi Arabia is still interested in pursuing mega-deal, Axios, 31 October 2023
293
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Egypt’s shifting Hamas policies, 26 July 2021
294
Egypt State Information Service, Sisi urges tackling root causes of Israeli-Palestinian conflict, 9
October 2023
295
FCDO, Cairo Peace Summit: Foreign Secretary’s statement, 21 October 2023 and UN, Secretary
General’s remarks to Cairo summit for peace, 21 October 2023
296
Eying Gaza mediator role, Turkey cools Hamas ties, Erdogan restrains rhetoric, Al-Monitor, 22
October 2023
297
Council on Foreign Relations, What is Hamas?, 9 October 2023; Qatar, Iran, Turkey and beyond: The
galaxy of Hamas supporters, France 24, 14 October 2023

47 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

On 25 October, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan described Hamas as a

“patriotic liberation movement”.298 Both Israel and Turkey have recalled their
respective diplomats. 299 President Erdoğan has also called for fresh
negotiations on the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and said that “lasting regional
peace” will only be possible when a two-state solution is achieved. 300

Both Turkey and Qatar have offered to negotiate for the release of hostages
from Gaza, 301 with Qatar leading successful negotiations with Egypt for a
pause in fighting for this purpose in November (see section 1).

Iran
Iran has provided material and other support to Hamas in Gaza, the Houthis
in Yemen, and Hezbollah in Lebanon in the past.302 Iranian President Ebrahim
Raisi has blamed Israel and its partners for “endangering the security of the
regional states” and said the Hamas attack would bring to an end the
“harassment of Palestinian women and prisoners” and the “constant
desecration of Al-Aqsa Mosque”. 303 The Iranian Government has also warned
of “escalation” if Israeli military forces enter Gaza. 304

Section 6 provides further resources on the international response.

298
Turkey’s Erdogan hails Hamas as liberators, [...], Al-Monitor, 25 October 2023
299
Israel recalls diplomats from Turkey after Erdogan’s ‘grave’ statements, Al-Monitor, 28 October
2023; Turkey recalls ambassador to Israel ahead of Blinken’s visit, Al-Monitor, 4 November 2023
300
Two-state solution only way to achieve peace […], Al Arabiya News, 8 October 2023
301
Turkey’s Erdogan in talks with Hamas […], The New Arab, 12 October 2023
302
See Commons Library research briefing, Iran’s influence in the Middle East and US Institute for
Peace, Iran, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, 21 May 2023
303
Iranian president: Israel responsible for regional instability, Fars News Agency, 8 October 2023
304
Iranian FM: Gaza could turn into graveyard for Israeli soldiers, Fars News Agency, 16 October 2023

48 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

 2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

6 Resources and further reading

The following is a selection of government, press and media articles relevant

to the 2023/24 conflict between Israel and Hamas. The House of Commons
Library is not responsible for the content or accuracy of external content.

Commons Library material

• Commons Library research briefing, UK aid to the West Bank and Gaza
Strip: FAQs. Sources on the humanitarian situation, value and monitoring
of UK aid, and the role of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian
refugees (UNRWA).

• Commons Library research briefing, Israel and the Occupied Palestinian

Territories: A parliamentary list, 2020-23. UK Parliamentary material and
press statements relating to the conflict during the current parliament.

Humanitarian situation and casualties

• UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East
(UNRWA), Gaza emergency.

• UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), Occupied

Palestinian Territories.

• UNOCHA reports daily casualty statistics on its website.

• Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, UK–Occupied

Palestinian Territories development partnership summary, July 2023.
Summary of UK aid programme. The UK does not provide aid directly to
the Palestinian Authority or Hamas.

Analysis and outlook for the conflict

General information
• Council on Foreign Relations, What is Hamas?, October 2023. An
overview.

• Washington Institute, The Israel-Hamas war 2023: FAQs, October 2023

• Center for Strategic and International Studies, The War in Gaza and the
death of the two-state solution, 11 October 2023

49 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

• International Crisis Group, A second October War in Israel-Palestine, 9

October 2023. The first October War was that of 1973, 50 years ago.

• International Crisis Group, A way out for Gaza, 9 December 2023

• Washington Institute, The Hamas-Israel war: End of the beginning or

beginning of the end?, 15 December 2023

• Foreign Policy, A future look back at Israel’s war on Hamas, 26 December

2023

On the potential for regional escalation

Iran and general regional consequences
• Iran’s quandary: How to stay out of Israel’s war on Hamas, Reuters, 23
October 2023

• Atlantic Council, The global consequences of the Israel-Hamas war are

just beginning: What to watch, 24 October 2023

• International Crisis Group, Understanding the risks of US-Iran escalation

amid the Gaza conflict, 10 November 2023

• Arab Center DC, Hamas’s “Al-Aqsa flood” challenges Iran’s axis of

resistance, 27 November 2023

• The 7 reasons why Iran won’t fight for Hamas, Foreign Policy, 4 December
2023

• US Institute for Peace, Proxy attacks: Iraq, Syria and Yemen, 14 December
2023

Houthis
• Italian Institute for International Political Studies, Yemen: Houthis’
militarised islands are spotlights in the Red Sea, 24 November 2023

• The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Houthi military

capabilities and US response options, 8 December 2023

• The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, How Yemen’s “southern
Hezbollah” could change Iran’s deterrent calculus, 12 December 2023

• The West’s 3 options to combat the Houthi attacks, Foreign Policy, 20

December 2023

West Bank
• Italian Institute for International Political Studies, The “other” wide of the
war: West Bank violence escalating, 23 November 2023

50 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

• International Crisis Group, With all eyes on Gaza, Israel tightens its grip
on the West Bank, 24 November 2023

Hezbollah in Lebanon
• Washington Institute, Will Hezbollah hold back or escalate?, 16 October
2023

• Chatham House, The closer Israel gets to destroying Hamas, the more
likely war with Hezbollah becomes, 17 November 2023

• Brookings Institute, On Hezbollah, Lebanon and the risks of escalation, 17

November 2023

• International Crisis Group, Diplomacy must prevail in Israel-Hizballah

conflict, 29 December 2023

• Carnegie Middle East Center, Why a Lebanon war is not imminent, 2

January 2024

• Carnegie Middle East Center, In a speech, Hezbollah’s Hassan Nasrallah

has addressed the killing of Hamas’s Saleh al-Arouri, 4 January 2024

Iraq and Syria

• Middle East Institute, Iranian-backed militia attacks on coalition forces
threaten to ignite eastern Syria, 13 November 2023

• Washington Institute, Will an Iraqi front open in the Hamas-Israel war?,

21 November 2023

• Brookings Institute, How Iraq is managing the Israel-Gaza crisis, 21

December 2023

Response in the Middle East region

• International Crisis Group, The Gaza war reverberates across the
Middle East, 4 November 2023
• Middle East Institute, Assessing the resilience of Israel’s regional ties,
one month on, 6 November 2023
• Italian Institute for International Political Studies, The Gulf, the Riyadh
summit and the Hamas-Israel war, 17 November 2023
• Atlantic Council, Why Morocco will not ties with Israel, 28 November
2023
• Why Arab states must lead on Gaza, Foreign Affairs, 4 December 2023
• Chatham House, What does Turkey’s policy on the Gaza war mean for
the region?, 8 December 2023

51 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

• RUSI, The Gulf and Gaza: Staying the course amid renewed crisis, 11
December 2023
• How Saudi Arabia could use its leverage in Gaza, Foreign Policy, 18
December 2023

On the role of the UK and European countries

• European Council on Foreign Relations, How Europeans should respond
to the Hamas offensive against Israel, 9 October 2023
• Italian Institute for International Political Studies, Europeans, Israel and
Palestine, 6 November 2023
• Chatham House, To engage in the Middle East peace process the UK
needs dedicated leadership, 8 November 2023
• Middle East Institute, The EU and the Israel-Hamas war: A narrow but
important niche, 14 November 2023

On the role and position of the United States

• Chatham House, President Biden’s Middle East visit reveals the
challenges for US diplomacy, 18 October 2023

• Middle East Institute, America faces brewing crisis of confidence among

key Middle East partners, 13 November 2023

• Atlantic Council, The post-7 October US strategy in the Middle East is

coming into focus, 21 November 2023

• The war that remade the Middle East: How Washington can stabilise a
transformed region, Foreign Affairs, 20 November 2023

• Washington’s looming Middle Eastern quagmire, Foreign Affairs, 24

November 2023

• In dealing with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, America has no easy way

out, Foreign Affairs, 22 December 2023

On the position and role of Russia and China

• Middle East Institute, The war in Gaza as a major test of China’s Middle
East peace diplomacy, 19 October 2023
• In Israel-Hamas war, Russia’s leverage erodes, outflanked by US naval
power, Al-Monitor, 22 October 2023
• Russia manoeuvres carefully over the Israel-Hamas war as it seeks to
expand its global clout, Associated Press, 25 October 2023

52 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

• Chatham House, China’s approach to the war in Gaza is not anti-Israel.

It’s designed to contain the US, 25 October 2023

Maps
• Reuters, Mapping the conflict in Israel and Gaza, regularly updated.

• Washington Institute, Mapping clashes along the Israel-Lebanon border,

regularly updated.

• Institute for the Study of War, Interactive map: Israel’s military operation
in Gaza, regularly updated.

• Financial Times, The Israel-Hamas war in maps: Latest updates,

regularly updated.

International law
• International Red Cross, What is international humanitarian law?, April
2022. An introduction to the topic.

• UN, Explainer: What is international humanitarian law?, 19 October 2023.

Provides an introduction and links to relevant international agreements.

• The Economist, Is Israel acting within the laws of war?, 14 October 2023.

• Just Security, The siege of Gaza and the starvation war crime, October
2023

• Reuters, What war crimes laws apply to the Israel-Palestinian conflict?,

October 2023

• Just Security, Expert guidance: Law of armed conflict in the Israel-Hamas

War, October 2023.

• New Humanitarian, How have Israel and Gaza broken the laws of war?,
October 2023

• Catherine Gegout in the Conversation, Where the ICC stands if war

crimes are committed on either side of the Israel-Hamas war, 23 October
2023

• Karim Khan (the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court) in

The Guardian, We are witnessing a pandemic of inhumanity: To halt the
spread, we must cling to the law, 10 November 2023

53 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict: UK and international response

• Louis Lillywhite in Chatham House, Medical facilities must be protected

in Gaza’s urban conflict, 11 November 2023

Other resources
The House of Commons Library subscribes to several news-outlets providing
foreign policy analysis. These include BBC Monitoring and Foreign Affairs.

These can be access for parliamentary users via the Library resources page
and via Nexis news (which provides access to a range of subscription news-
services).

Some fact-checking services are also monitoring video and other media
produced during the conflict. These include:

• BBC Verify. Reporting includes on the Al-Ahli Arab hospital explosion and
Israeli attacks in southern Gaza

• Channel 4 FactCheck. Reporting includes the Hamas attacks on civilians

• Bellingcat. Netherlands-based investigative group. Reporting includes

Hamas attacks against Israeli civilians and Israeli strikes on Jabalia
refugee camp targeted at Hamas

• Airwars. UK-based not for profit that assesses civilian harm incidents
alongside known sources, including in the 2023 conflict, using its
published methodology of recording and assessment

54 Commons Library Research Briefing, 5 January 2024

The House of Commons Library is a research and
information service based in the UK Parliament.
Our impartial analysis, statistical research and
resources help MPs and their staff scrutinise
legislation, develop policy, and support constituents.

Our published material is available to everyone

on commonslibrary.parliament.uk.

Get our latest research delivered straight to your inbox.

Subscribe at commonslibrary.parliament.uk/subscribe
or scan the code below:

commonslibrary.parliament.uk

@commonslibrary