UK PM to unveil emergency Gaza plan amid growing push for Palestinian recognition

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to hold an emergency cabinet meeting this week focused on the Gaza conflict, where he will outline his detailed plan to ministers following discussions with former President Donald Trump.

Growing pressure from several cabinet members—including Deputy Angela Rayner, Health Secretary Wes Streeting, and Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood—has emerged in favour of quickly recognising Palestinian statehood, Caliber.Az reports, citing British media.

Notably, figures such as David Miliband, Lisa Nandy, and Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn previously supported Palestinian recognition in a 2014 Commons vote when Miliband led the Labour Party.

A spokesperson for Starmer emphasised that the plan aims to “deliver a pathway to peace and steps to achieve a sustainable peace.” They highlighted the Prime Minister’s ongoing coordination with international leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, to transform a ceasefire into lasting peace.

Starmer plans to present this peace initiative to key allies in the coming days, including the United States and Arab nations, while affirming the Palestinians’ “inalienable right to statehood.” Foreign Secretary David Lammy will articulate the UK’s position on the two-state solution at a conference in New York on July 29.

Ministers acknowledge the U.S. holds a different stance on Palestinian statehood and is unlikely to join Europe and Canada in formal recognition. However, before meeting Starmer at his Turnberry golf resort, Trump downplayed the issue’s potential to cause tension, stating, “I’m not going to take a position—I don’t mind him taking a position. I’m looking for getting people fed right now.”

Trump also challenged Israel’s assertion that Gaza is not facing famine, telling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that humanitarian aid efforts might need to be conducted differently. He noted the visible hunger of children in Gaza and highlighted the U.S.’s ongoing financial and food assistance, as well as support from other nations, including Britain and Europe.

Describing plans to set up accessible food distribution centres in Gaza, Trump said, “We’re going to set up food centres where people can walk in and no boundaries. We’re not going to have fences.”

Starmer described the situation in Gaza as a “humanitarian crisis” and called it “an absolute catastrophe” that has shocked the global community. He expressed gratitude to President Trump for his leadership in achieving a ceasefire.

Over the weekend, Starmer held talks with Macron and Merz about “robust plans” to move beyond a ceasefire toward a durable peace. Downing Street stated the leaders agreed to collaborate closely on a long-term peace and security plan for the region and to involve other key partners, especially from the Middle East, once the framework is developed.

On July 25, Starmer acknowledged that recognising a Palestinian state “has to be one of those steps” toward peace but stressed it must be integrated within a broader strategy leading to a two-state solution and lasting security for both Palestinians and Israelis. He said, “This is the way to ensure it is a tool of maximum utility to improve the lives of those who are suffering.”

By Tamilla Hasanova