Calls for the UK to stop arms exports to Israel have been sounded following the tragic deaths of British nationals in Gaza.
Aid organisation World Central Kitchen (WCK) confirmed UK victims John Chapman, 57, James “Jim” Henderson, 33, and James Kirby, 47, who were working for the charity’s security team, were among seven of its staff killed when their convoy was struck after unloading food in Gaza.
The incident has prompted condemnation from the UK and its allies.
Speaking on LBC, Nick Ferrari pointed out that it could have been a British missile that killed them in a devastating monologue.
Prime minister Rishi Sunak has also spoken out about the so-called ‘careful’ UK arms export regime amid calls to halt sales to Israel.
Speaking to the Sun Newspaper’s Never Mind the Ballots show, he said: “I think we’ve always had a very careful export licensing regime that we adhere to.
“There are a set of rules, regulations and procedures that we’ll always follow, and I have been consistently clear with Prime Minister Netanyahu since the start of this conflict that while of course we defend Israel’s right to defend itself and its people against attacks from Hamas, they have to do that in accordance with international humanitarian law, protect civilian lives and, sadly, too many civilians have already lost their lives.
“Get more aid into Gaza. That’s what we’ve consistently called for and what we want to see actually is an immediate humanitarian pause to allow more aid in, and crucially the hostages to be released, and that’s what we’ll continue to push for.”
Lord Peter Ricketts, a former senior diplomat who chaired the Joint Intelligence Committee during the Blair government, said Israeli forces’ killing of the aid workers has sparked “global outrage” as he called for an “immediate ceasefire”.
The crossbench peer, who served as national security adviser between 2010 and 2012, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I think there is abundant evidence now that Israel hasn’t been taking enough care to fulfil its obligations on the safety of civilians, and a country that gets arms from the UK has to comply with international humanitarian law, that is a condition of the arms export licensing policy.
“I think the time has come to send that signal.
“It won’t change the course of the war. It would be a powerful political message, and it might just stimulate debate in the US as well, which would be the real game-changer, if the Americans began to think about putting limits, restrictions on the use of American weapons in Israel.”
He added: “Sometimes in conflict, you get a moment where there’s such global outrage that it crystalises a sense that things can’t go on like this.
“I think – I hope – that this awful incident will serve that purpose.”
Related: Carol Vorderman to publish book exploring ‘blatant hypocrisy’ of Tory Government