Keir Starmer’s plan for Palestinian state recognition is ‘one of the fruits of October 7,’ a top Hamas official has boasted.
The statement came as furore around the Prime Minister’s proposal showed no sign of dying down at the weekend.
Senior Hamas politician Ghazi Hamad enflamed the situation as he told news network Al Jazeera: ‘The initiative by several countries to recognise the Palestinian State is one of the fruits of October 7.
‘Why do all countries recognise Palestine today? Before October 7, was there a single country that dared to recognise the State of Palestine? Just give me one example.
‘Now, the achievement we accomplished on October 7 is what brought the Palestinian issue to the world’s attention and prompted powerful action in support of it,’ Hamad said.
Sir Keir and the leaders of France and Canada have faced accusations that plans to recognise a Palestinian state would be rewarding the group responsible for the biggest slaughter of Jewish people since the Holocaust and for emboldening the terror group with no clear incentive for a ceasefire.
Adam Rose, a lawyer acting for the British hostage families, said: ‘It comes as absolutely no surprise to us that Hamas would welcome the UK’s decision to recognise the state of Palestine without first requiring Hamas to release the 50 hostages it still holds, 667 days on from 7 October, 2023.
Keir Starmer and the leaders of France and Canada have faced accusations that plans to recognise a Palestinian state would be rewarding Hamas for the October 7 massacre (file image)
It comes as Hamas released a horrifying video of an emaciated Israeli hostage, Evyatar David, after 664 days in captivity
Images show Evyatar in 2023, in February and in the most recent video released by Hamas in July
Hamas last night said it is conditionally ready to deliver Red Cross aid to hostages. Pictured: A Hamas fighter stands guard as a Red Cross vehicle transports newly released hostages in Rafah in November 2023
‘Indeed, and as we predicted, in the past few days since the UK’s announcement, we have seen an emboldened Hamas, which released videos of emaciated hostages Rom Braslavski, 22, and 24-year-old Evyatar David, the latter being shown digging his own grave in the dungeon in which he is being held, starved and tortured.’
Last week British-Israeli Emily Damari led condemnations from hostage families saying the PM was ‘not standing on the right side of history’ with his pledge to recognise a Palestinian state if Israel did not agree to a ceasefire before September’s UN meeting.
In contrast, no conditions were placed on Hamas to release the remaining hostages, giving the terror group no reason to stop the fighting.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy last night posted on X: ‘The images of hostages being paraded for propaganda are sickening. Every hostage must be released unconditionally. Hamas must disarm and have no control over Gaza.
‘We are working with partners on a long-term solution and plan for peace. This must begin with an immediate ceasefire that frees the hostages, as well as removing inhumane aid restrictions.’
Noam Sagi, whose elderly mother Ada was kidnapped into Gaza, told the Daily Mail: ‘Britain should lead with moral courage, not appease evil’.
Last night, Hamas said it is conditionally ready to deliver Red Cross aid to the hostages it is holding in Gaza.
The terror group said that if Israel opens humanitarian corridors permanently and halts ‘all forms of air traffic’ during the delivery of packages to the hostages, it would allow aid to reach them.
