London, 5th August 2026 – Following Israeli attacks in Gaza that killed at least 19 Palestinians on Sunday, the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) is calling on the UK Government to take immediate action to comply with its obligations under international law and urges the Foreign Secretary to introduce a comprehensive arms embargo on Israel, as well as impose targeted sanctions on Benjamin Netanyahu and members of the Israeli government responsible for serious violations of international law.
Israel’s latest attacks come just one day after Israeli air strikes killed at least eight Palestinians across multiple locations in Gaza, highlighting the continued bombardment of the besieged enclave despite the so-called ‘ceasefire’. Israel has killed at least 1,222 Palestinians and injured more than 4,000 since the October ‘ceasefire’ agreement last year.
The scale of human suffering caused by Israel’s genocide in Gaza demands urgent and immediate action by the UK and international partners. Extremely conservative estimates indicate that more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023, while humanitarian organisations estimate that tens of thousands more remain missing or buried beneath the rubble.
Despite Trump’s ‘board of peace’ advancing negotiations, Palestinians remain subject to daily military attacks in Gaza, the blocking of aid by Israel, and worsening humanitarian conditions. Israel continues to persistently and unlawfully violate the ceasefire agreement in a deliberate attempt to disrupt an already fragile and lukewarm attempt at peace in Gaza, displaying its total lack of regard for Palestinian life or for a peace process.
The persistence of Israeli attacks demonstrates that political statements alone are insufficient to protect Palestinian civilians or ensure compliance with international law. The UK Government must now move beyond statements of concern and take concrete action to prevent further violations and ensure accountability for perpetrators of war crimes in Gaza.
Israel’s unwavering commitment to derailing peace by all necessary means has been emboldened by the silence and complicity of the UK and other Western states who have refused to challenge Israel’s astounding impunity. If Foreign Secretary Miliband, newly appointed to the role in Prime Minister Burnham’s cabinet, maintains any willingness for the UK to comply withinternational humanitarian law and end its complicity in the Gaza genocide, he will implement a full arms embargo on Israel, including the F-35 carve out, and impose targeted UK sanctions on Israeli government members responsible for such violations, including Prime Minister Netanyahu.
ENDS
Notes for Editors:
The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians is an independent organisation of lawyers, politicians and academics who support the rights of Palestinians and aim to protect their rights through the law.
For more information, to arrange an interview with a spokesperson, please contact the ICJP news desk at [email protected].
Image: Ashraf Amra via Wikimedia Commons