LONDON, 15 JULY 2026 - A coalition of 17 UK humanitarian, development, human rights, environmental justice and faith organisations, has issued a joint statement today calling on the new Prime Minister to take decisive action on Gaza and the occupied West Bank, warning that Palestinians cannot afford further political inaction.
Palestinians in Gaza continue to endure catastrophic violence, mass displacement, and the destruction of essential services amid Israel’s atrocities. More than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, including more than 1,100 since the so-called 'ceasefire' came into effect in October 2025. Israeli authorities continue to severely restrict the entry of food, fuel, medicines, shelter materials and other lifesaving supplies, leaving Gaza's health system devastated and communities facing continued bombardment and displacement.
Last month, an independent UN Commission of Inquiry concluded that Israeli forces and authorities have continued to commit genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza. It also found evidence of war crimes in the occupied West Bank, including the targeting of children. In the West Bank, military operations, settler violence and movement restrictions are killing and injuring Palestinians, forcibly displacing communities and restricting access to healthcare, while enabling the further expansion of illegal settlements.
Halla Keir, Advocacy and Research Manager at Medical Aid for Palestinians said: “Every new Prime Minister inherits difficult decisions. But this should not be one of them. Almost three years into Israel's genocide in Gaza, the need for action could not be clearer. The UK's obligations under international law are clear. What is needed now is the political courage to act.
Our teams have witnessed the consequences of political inaction first hand: patients unable to access healthcare, hospitals pushed beyond breaking point, and communities living under relentless violence and displacement. The new Government cannot repeat the failures of the past. It must use every tool at its disposal to protect Palestinian lives and uphold international law.”
Joanne O'Neill, Co-Director of Advocacy and Influencing at ActionAid UK, said: "The incoming Prime Minister must seize the opportunity to right the wrongs of the previous government, moving beyond rhetoric and taking decisive action to uphold international law and protect Palestinian lives. The UK’s response has so far failed to match the scale and severity of the violations taking place across both Gaza, where the genocide continues, and the West Bank, where the Israeli government's systematic assault on Palestinian rights is intensifying by the day. The steps that must be taken are clear: what is needed is a Prime Minister willing to show true political leadership and enact them.”
Liz Bradshaw, Senior Conflict and Humanitarian Advocacy Advisor at Save the Children UK, said: “For far too long, Palestinian children have endured the devastating consequences of relentless violence, displacement and the destruction of the basic services they need to survive. No child should ever wish for death so they can eat in heaven, while other children are asking our staff to include them in photographs so they will be remembered if they are killed. They cannot keep waiting for our leaders to act while their lives, futures and fundamental rights continue to be stripped away by Israel’s ongoing atrocities.
“The incoming Prime Minister must chart a different course to his predecessor. This means acting decisively to protect Palestinian children, uphold international law, and ensure the UK is not complicit in violations of children's rights.”
The coalition is calling on the new Government to act immediately to:
- Suspending all arms transfers to Israel, including F-35 components.
- Ending all trade, services and investment that enable Israel's illegal settlements.
- Suspending the UK-Israel Trade and Partnership Agreement under its human rights provisions until widespread violations of international law are brought to an end.
- Publishing the UK's response to the International Court of Justice's Advisory Opinion and setting out a clear timetable for implementing its recommendations.
Signatories:
- ActionAid UK
- Amnesty International UK
- Amos Trust
- CAFOD
- Christian Aid
- Council for British-Arab Understanding (CAABU)
- Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland
- Global Justice Now
- Islamic Relief UK
- Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights (LPHR)
- Medical Aid for Palestinians
- Muslim Aid
- Quakers in Britain
- Save the Children UK
- SCIAF
- War on Want
- Women for Women International
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