HOSTAGE families blasted Labour’s plan to recognise Palestine — after being told failure to release loved-ones will not stop the move.
At a Foreign Office meeting, the relatives of four British-linked captives were told the UK would press ahead with state recognition even if Hamas terrorists refuse to free any of the 50 it still holds.
A statement issued by their lawyers Adam Rose and Adam Wagner KC said the conditions for recognising a Palestinian state would be assessed in late-September.
But it added: “It was made obvious to us at the meeting that, in deciding whether to go ahead with recognition, the release or otherwise of the hostages would play no part in those considerations.”
They warned the UK’s new position would not help “and could even hurt” hostages.
They said PM Sir Keir Starmer’s plan “appears to be to put pressure on the Israelis only to reach a deal”.
It abandons efforts to press both sides, they add.
Sir Keir outlined the route to recognising a Palestinian state this week.
He was met with outrage by hostage families and concern from Jewish community leaders.
Emily Damari, 29, who was held in Gaza and released in January, called it a “moral failure”.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump vowed to “get people fed” in Gaza after sending envoy Steve Witkoff to tour a US-backed aid site in Rafah.
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