Recognising Palestine helped bring peace to Gaza, Starmer tells MPs

Recognising Palestine helped to bring about peace in Gaza, Sir Keir Starmer has told MPs.

Addressing MPs after his return from the peace summit in Egypt, the Prime Minister said the UK had been in a position to work “behind the scenes” for a ceasefire “precisely because of the approach this Government takes”.

He said: “That does include our decision to recognise the state of Palestine.

“Because this move, taken alongside our allies France, Canada, Australia and others, helped lead to the historic New York declaration, where for the first time the entire Arab League condemned the atrocities of October 7, urged Hamas to disarm and, crucially, demanded that they end their rule in Gaza.”

But Sir Keir also stressed that the peace deal signed on Monday belonged to US President Donald Trump.

He said: “This is his deal.”

The agreement was signed by Mr Trump at a ceremony in Sharm El Sheikh, along with negotiators from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey.

Israel and Hamas were not present at the summit.

Monday also saw all 20 remaining living Israeli hostages released by Hamas, while Israel released more than 1,900 prisoners and detainees under the first phase of the deal.

Sir Keir told MPs that Monday’s deal provided “a moment of profound relief” as he paid tribute to both the hostages and the civilians killed in Gaza.

But he also stressed that the deal provided only “a chance to bring a terrible chapter in history, finally, to a close”.

Negotiations will now follow on phase two of the deal, which involves Hamas laying down its weapons – a possibility the group is reported to have dismissed – and the rebuilding of Gaza under a “peace board” chaired by Mr Trump and potentially including former prime minister Sir Tony Blair.

Sir Keir told MPs: “While we celebrate the relief of peace today, making that peace last will be no less difficult a task, along with our allies, an absolute focus in the days and weeks ahead is the relentless implementation of this peace plan.

“That is no small challenge, and so we stand ready to deploy our diplomacy and expertise in three key areas.”

He also called for the remains of the deceased hostages to be returned to their families “immediately” and urged Israel to lift “all restrictions” on aid entering Gaza.

The UK will provide an additional £20 million in humanitarian aid to provide “water, sanitation and hygiene products” to people in the territory, Sir Keir told MPs.

While Sir Keir defended his Government’s diplomatic approach, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch accused him of “taking the wrong decisions” and diminishing the UK’s “influence” in the Middle East.

She said the Government had “strained” relations with Israel and “rewarded terrorism” by recognising Palestine.