Over 50 UK MPs Push for New Sanctions Against Israel Over Gaza Aid Blockade

A coalition of more than 50 British Members of Parliament has launched a formal effort to compel the UK government to take decisive action regarding the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The parliamentary motion, tabled on Tuesday night by Labour MP Richard Burgon, calls for urgent measures to facilitate the entry of aid and demands the imposition of new sanctions against Israel.

The text of the motion highlights the deteriorating living conditions for displaced families in the territory. It cites United Nations reports indicating that tens of thousands of families have suffered damage to their shelters. The document argues that this situation has been exacerbated by Israel's widespread destruction of homes, drainage systems, and other critical infrastructure, leaving the majority of Palestinians in Gaza displaced.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, approximately 65 percent of Gaza’s population, or about 1.4 million people, are currently living in tents or makeshift shelters. Recent weather events have further compounded the crisis. Torrential rainfall and deadly storms over the past week have flooded or destroyed tens of thousands of these temporary structures.

The motion specifically condemns Israel's ongoing restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid. It notes that these limitations include materials necessary for providing shelter, responding to flooding, and aiding reconstruction efforts. The document also criticizes restrictions on bringing humanitarian supplies and international staff into the enclave. Israel continues to bar aid groups from transporting supplies and personnel into the territory.

The Norwegian Refugee Council reported last month that Israeli authorities were permitting only 15 trucks carrying dual-use items to enter Gaza from Jordan once a week. Ramiz Alakbarov, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory, stated this week that 150,000 tents in aid lorries were stuck outside Gaza. He added that stocks of essential shelter and winter items inside the enclave had been exhausted.

The proposed motion calls on the UK government to demand the immediate and unrestricted entry of humanitarian aid, shelter materials, and reconstruction equipment. It urges the Labour government to utilize its powers under the new Global Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law Sanctions Regulations 2026 to impose sanctions on Israeli officials and others responsible for obstructing humanitarian assistance.

The motion has garnered support from 55 MPs across various political parties. Numerous Labour MPs, including Abtisam Mohamed, Andy McDonald, John McDonnell, and Kim Johnson, are backing the initiative. Additionally, all five members of the Independent Alliance and all five Green Party MPs have signed in support of the motion.

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband addressed the situation on Monday night in a published video. He described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as intolerable and worsening. Miliband noted that heavy rain and strong winds had resulted in 70,000 tents being affected by flooding, damaged buildings collapsing, and more people losing their lives.

Miliband stated that the UK government would not stand by. He said the UK is demanding that the government of Israel end arbitrary restrictions on humanitarian access, protect humanitarian workers, and provide humane treatment and basic welfare for the civilian population. He emphasized that there are strict legal obligations that Israel, as the occupying power, must obey.

Speaking from the G7 summit, Miliband said he was pressing partner nations to get more humanitarian aid into Gaza and to reinject momentum into the peace process. He aimed to send a clear message to the government of Israel that their behavior and actions in Gaza are totally unacceptable.