Today, the Prime Minister delivered a statement to the house on the anniversary of 7 October Hamas attacks.
He opened the statement noting that October 7 “was the bloodiest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust”. The anniversary marked “a day of sorrow, a day of grief” in which “over a thousand people were massacred”, he added.
“Hundreds taken hostage in an attack borne of hatred. Targeted not just at individuals but at Jewish communities, at their way of life and at the state of Israel – the symbol of Jewish security to the world.”
The Prime Minister paid homage to the 15 British citizens who “were brutally slain that day, another has since died in captivity” and said “our thoughts today are with Jewish people around the world, the Jewish community here in the UK and all those we lost a year ago.”
The Prime Minister also raised the case of Emily Damari, a 28 year old British citizen who was kidnapped from her home in Kfar Aza on the 7th. He said he had met Emily’s mother, Mandy, who “spoke about her love for her daughter, Emily […] we can hardly imagine what hostages like Emily are going through. Nor what the families are going through, the agony, agony – day after day.”
He made clear the government’s position that the “hostages must be returned immediately and unconditionally” and insisted that “they will always be uppermost in our minds”, paying tribute “to the families for their incredible dignity and determination.”
He stated that this was “also a day of grief for the wider region as we look back on a year of conflict and suffering.” Discussing the plight of Gaza, the PM said the situation was “truly devastating” and said the “nightmare […] must end”.
The Prime Minister reaffirmed “Israel’s right to defend herself against Iran’s aggression in line with international law.” Discussing the Iranian attack on Israel last week, Starmer said “this was not a defensive action by Iran. It was an act of aggression and a major escalation in response to the death of a terrorist leader. It exposes once again Iran’s malign role in the region.”
He added that Iran “helped equip Hamas for the 7th of October attacks. They armed Hezbollah who launched a year-long barrage of rockets on northern Israel forcing 60,000 Israelis to flee their homes and they support the Houthis who mount direct attacks on Israel. And continue to attack international shipping.
