Jess Phillips: ‘What happens if Israel does not follow international law?’

Following the prime minister’s statement in the House of Commons yesterday, in which he updated MPs on the conflict between Israel and Hamas after his trip to the Middle East last week, Labour MP Jess Phillips questioned the PM, saying: “What happens if international law is not followed?”.

She said: “Can the prime minister give some assurance to the country and certainly to people in my constituency that if Israel breaches international law in their endeavours to defend themselves, that he will stand at that despatch box and say so”.

Rishi Sunak responded: “There are established processes and mechanisms to take account of international law.

“But again, we cannot lose sight. Just a week or two later about the fact that Hamas, an absolutely evil terrorist organisation, has perpetrated a horrific, horrific attack on thousands and over a thousand people in Israel”.

Also in his statement, Rishi Sunak told MPs that UK intelligence services have concluded that the deadly blast at al-Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza was caused by a rocket fired by a militant group rather than by an Israeli airstrike.

The prime minister said the explosion was likely to have been caused by a missile or part of a missile launched within Gaza towards Israel.

He said: “On the basis of the deep knowledge and analysis of our intelligence and weapons experts, the British government judges that the explosion was likely caused by a missile or part of one that was launched from within Gaza towards Israel”.

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