The United Kingdom puts pressure on Israel and aligns itself with Europe to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump held a meeting in Scotland, where the British Prime Minister discussed the urgency of sending humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. The possibility of establishing a permanent ceasefire to allow Palestinians to resume their daily lives was also discussed. The prime ministers of Slovenia, Luxembourg and Malta announced that they would support this position throughout the week.
Starmer said that the UK's position would be aligned with that of the European Union and Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia, describing the current situation in the Strip as ‘absolutely intolerable’.
‘I think people in the UK are outraged by what they are seeing on their screens. We need to mobilise other countries to support the delivery of that aid and, yes, that means putting pressure on Israel, because this is an absolute humanitarian catastrophe,’ he said. Starmer also urged Trump and the United States to take a more important and active role in the crisis.
Starmer suggested that without Washington's presence in the talks, the conflict will drag on. At the UN General Assembly, in which neither Israel nor the United States participated, Starmer threatened to recognise a Palestinian state, although this would be conditional on an imminent ceasefire and progress in the delivery of humanitarian aid. The Palestinian state project, according to Starmer, ‘must be part of a broader plan.’
At the same time, he reiterated that ‘there is no equality between Israel and Hamas, and our demands on Hamas remain the same: the release of all hostages, agreement to a ceasefire, acceptance of not participating in the government of Gaza and the disarmament of Hamas.’
My statement on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and our plan for peace including the recognition of a Palestinian State. pic.twitter.com/aMUCNwJb9z
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) July 29, 2025
The US president acknowledged the severity of the famine in Gaza and pointed to Israel's responsibilities. ‘I think Israel can do a lot,’ he said. In addition, both leaders noted that the establishment of a ceasefire is the only way to bring peace to the region.
He also said that in his next meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he would insist that he ensure that Palestinians receive food supplies and that he manages the money and food that the United States and other countries are sending to Israel. ‘I want him to make sure they get the food,’ Trump said.
Finally, the British Prime Minister expressed his willingness to use foreign policy as a means of pressure to achieve a peaceful solution, both in Gaza and in the war between Ukraine and Russia.
Other topics of interest at the meeting were the talks on the economic agreements reached by the European Union and the United States, and the situation of the war in Ukraine, to whom Donald Trump, during the meeting with Ursula Von der Leyen, has given between 10 and 12 days to reach a peace agreement and ceasefire. Meanwhile, Starmer and Trump agreed to maintain military support for Ukraine.
The meeting concluded with remarks from both leaders praising the Economic Prosperity Agreement signed by both countries, highlighting how beneficial it is for British and American workers.
