British Palestinians met with Prime Minister Keir Starmer to share powerful testimonies about their loved ones killed in Gaza by Israeli attacks.
It was the first meeting between the Prime Minister and a large Palestinian delegation since Labour came into power.
Starmer met them at Downing Street with Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Hussam Zomlot, the Palestinian ambassador to the UK.
The family shared the stories of people that Israel has killed and wounded, including children and babies.
“I am humbled by their immeasurable grief,” said Starmer in an X post.
“This horrific suffering must end, there must be an immediate ceasefire, and Israel must let unrestricted aid into Gaza now.”
Zomlot said on X: “Our community contributes to the country in a myriad ways, whether as health professionals, academics or entrepreneurs.
“They have continued to do so despite the terrible trauma, which they are all suffering along with their friends and relatives in Palestine.”
The families presented ten key demands they wanted the government to prioritise, including securing life-saving medical treatment in the UK for fifteen critically injured children from Gaza.
Palestinians are unable to access healthcare due to Israel’s destruction of the healthcare system.
The proposal urges the UK government to facilitate medical visas, travel permits, and safe passage so that children can receive specialist treatment in British hospitals.
Other demands
One of the family members reflected on the meeting and said: “It is hard to talk about this collective trauma, but political leaders must hear our testimonies directly, so they understand the real-life impact of their policies.
“Bringing fifteen children to the UK is a tiny ask compared to the 34,000 injured, and that’s before even mentioning 16,000 killed and 21,000 missing. But we sadly know all too well how much difference one life saved could have been for us.
“This would just be a tiny drop in the ocean, but it could be the start of something more. All we can hope is that they have not just heard what we have said, but have listened. Time will tell.”
The families also want the UK to implement a Family Reunification Scheme for Palestinian refugees. It will allow legal pathways and travel visas to reunite families — similar to the scheme offered to Ukrainians following Russia’s invasion.
The group also wants action on Israel deliberately restricting aid flow to Gaza. To alleviate the use of starvation as a weapon of war, the families want British personnel at border crossings to ensure aid flows unrestricted into Gaza.
They also cited fears for their domestic safety as there are a few British nationals volunteering in the Israeli Defense Forces.
“British nationals who may have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity are currently free to return to the United Kingdom, citing serious security concerns for Palestinians living in Britain who are now living amongst people who may have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity against Palestinians,” said a statement shared by the British Palestinian Families Network and The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians.
Other demands included an immediate ceasefire, medical relief delivery, and addressing anti-Palestinian bias in media and education. Their demands also included reviewing school guidance on discussing Gaza, establishing secure money transfer channels to Gaza, and planning a reconstruction conference.
Starmer recently said the UK is considering sanctions against Israeli ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir over their remarks about Palestinians.
Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy has also announced sanctions against three Israeli settler outposts and four organisations accused of human rights violations in the occupied West Bank.
