Following Keir Starmer’s speech at Chatham House earlier today, Alastair Russell, Head of Public Affairs at Save the Children UK, said:

"In his speech today Keir Starmer once again referred to meeting he had with aid agencies regarding the conflict in Gaza and Israel. Save the Children was one of the agencies present at that meeting. Every single agency referred to the urgent need for a ceasefire. It was the united position of all the organisations, as it is also of UNICEF, UNRWA, and the UN Secretary-General that a ceasefire is essential to saving lives and allowing aid to flow. It is deeply disappointing that Keir Starmer has continued to rebuff this vital humanitarian call. Aid cannot be delivered under fire, and the catastrophic conditions facing 2.3 million Palestinian civilians, half of whom are children, cannot be addressed merely by a pause."

For further enquiries please contact our media out of hours (BST) is media@savethechildren.org.uk / +44(0)7831 650409