2025-05-27T05:41:50+00:00

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Shafaq News/ More than 800 British legal professionals, including former Supreme Court judges, have signed an open letter calling on the UK government to impose sanctions on Israel and suspend trade agreements over what they describe as a “real risk of genocide” in Gaza.

The letter, published Monday, urges Prime Minister Keir Starmer to use “all available means” to push for an immediate, unconditional, and lasting ceasefire, ensure unrestricted humanitarian aid access, and comply with international legal obligations, including arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The signatories stressed the UK’s legal duty under the Genocide Convention to take effective action to prevent genocide and punish perpetrators. The call follows a preliminary ruling by the International Court of Justice, which found plausible grounds that Israel’s military campaign in Gaza could amount to genocide.

Attached to the letter was a 35-page legal memorandum outlining the UK’s responsibilities under international law. It called on the government to enforce ICC warrants against senior Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, both accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including the use of starvation as a weapon of war.

The appeal adds to mounting international scrutiny over Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza, which began on October 7, 2023, after a deadly Hamas-led incursion into southern Israel that killed over 1,100 people and led to the capture of around 200 hostages. In response, Israel launched a full-scale military campaign that has left more than 53,000 Palestinians dead and displaced over 1.9 million people, according to Gaza’s health authorities and UN agencies.

Humanitarian organizations, including the UN and the World Health Organization (WHO), continue to warn of catastrophic conditions in Gaza, citing mass displacement, famine, and the collapse of medical infrastructure. The blockade has prevented the sustained flow of aid, and fuel shortages have shut down critical hospitals.

The UK-based signatories have also demanded that the British government reassess its bilateral roadmap with Israel and impose economic sanctions on individuals and entities involved in what they allege are violations of international law.

“The UK cannot remain complicit through inaction,” the letter reads, arguing that the government must uphold the rule of law even when politically inconvenient.

Meanwhile, pressure is mounting from other parts of Europe. Spain, Ireland, and Belgium have also pushed for tougher EU measures on Israel, including arms embargoes and trade restrictions.

Amid the intensifying crisis, US President Donald Trump hinted last week at the possibility of a temporary ceasefire deal in Gaza. The proposal reportedly includes a 60-day pause in fighting and a phased release of hostages and prisoners. However, no official framework has yet been agreed upon.