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| Ex-minister Luff condemns 'brutal' Israeli Gaza attacks | Ex-minister Luff condemns 'brutal' Israeli Gaza attacks |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A former UK defence minister has accused Israel of "brutal" attacks on Gaza after a short-lived ceasefire collapsed amid mutual recriminations. | A former UK defence minister has accused Israel of "brutal" attacks on Gaza after a short-lived ceasefire collapsed amid mutual recriminations. |
| Peter Luff said Israel's response to Hamas attacks was "disproportionate". | Peter Luff said Israel's response to Hamas attacks was "disproportionate". |
| The UK, he added, needed to "send a message" to Israel that its actions are "becoming very difficult to justify". | The UK, he added, needed to "send a message" to Israel that its actions are "becoming very difficult to justify". |
| Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said both sides had to "act proportionately" but his priority was to use his influence to "get to a ceasefire". | Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said both sides had to "act proportionately" but his priority was to use his influence to "get to a ceasefire". |
| He told BBC News: "We urgently need a humanitarian ceasefire. Ending the suffering of the people of Gaza is the number one priority. | He told BBC News: "We urgently need a humanitarian ceasefire. Ending the suffering of the people of Gaza is the number one priority. |
| "Afterwards, we can talk about all the issues that both sides have. We can put them all on the table. But we have to act to influence both sides of this conflict in order to end it." | "Afterwards, we can talk about all the issues that both sides have. We can put them all on the table. But we have to act to influence both sides of this conflict in order to end it." |
| The UN-brokered humanitarian ceasefire, intended to last 72 hours, ended after less than five hours, with both sides blaming each other. | The UN-brokered humanitarian ceasefire, intended to last 72 hours, ended after less than five hours, with both sides blaming each other. |
| 'Deliberately operate' | 'Deliberately operate' |
| Mr Hammond said it was "extremely depressing" that the ceasefire had broken down so quickly, adding that if reports that Hamas had broken it were true it would "be very serious indeed". | Mr Hammond said it was "extremely depressing" that the ceasefire had broken down so quickly, adding that if reports that Hamas had broken it were true it would "be very serious indeed". |
| Scores of people have reportedly been killed in fresh clashes while Israeli forces are searching for a soldier believed to have been captured. | Scores of people have reportedly been killed in fresh clashes while Israeli forces are searching for a soldier believed to have been captured. |
| Mr Hammond said the Foreign Office is looking into reports on social media that the missing Israeli soldier in Gaza has dual British-Israeli nationality but had "no information to support this" at the moment. | Mr Hammond said the Foreign Office is looking into reports on social media that the missing Israeli soldier in Gaza has dual British-Israeli nationality but had "no information to support this" at the moment. |
| Israel says it is defending itself from attacks by Palestinian militants and it blames Hamas for civilian deaths in Gaza, saying fighters deliberately operate from civilian areas. | Israel says it is defending itself from attacks by Palestinian militants and it blames Hamas for civilian deaths in Gaza, saying fighters deliberately operate from civilian areas. |
| Labour leader Ed Miliband urged Prime Minister David Cameron to put "maximum pressure on both sides for an unconditional ceasefire" in Gaza, as the "terrible carnage" cannot go on. | |
| Asked whether Parliament should be recalled, he told BBC News that should be kept "under review" and assessed over the coming days. | |
| 'Intense bombardment' | 'Intense bombardment' |
| Mr Luff, a Conservative MP who was a defence minister between 2010 and 2012, said the Israeli government had an "absolute right" to protect its people from rocket attacks from Hamas militants. | Mr Luff, a Conservative MP who was a defence minister between 2010 and 2012, said the Israeli government had an "absolute right" to protect its people from rocket attacks from Hamas militants. |
| And while he said it was impossible to avoid civilian casualties in such a densely populated area, he said the reported death toll of more than 1,400 Gaza residents - including hundreds of children - was unacceptable. | And while he said it was impossible to avoid civilian casualties in such a densely populated area, he said the reported death toll of more than 1,400 Gaza residents - including hundreds of children - was unacceptable. |
| "I am clear that Israel, in particular, needs to be much more careful about how it reacts to Hamas' extreme provocation," he told BBC Radio 4's World at One. | "I am clear that Israel, in particular, needs to be much more careful about how it reacts to Hamas' extreme provocation," he told BBC Radio 4's World at One. |
| "We have seen very intense military bombardments of residential areas of Gaza, using non-precision munitions. | "We have seen very intense military bombardments of residential areas of Gaza, using non-precision munitions. |
| "I am convinced that Israel's very sophisticated intelligence-gathering machinery and its high-tech defence industries could do much better in terms of pinpointing and targeting the attacks it is making on the Hamas war machine. | "I am convinced that Israel's very sophisticated intelligence-gathering machinery and its high-tech defence industries could do much better in terms of pinpointing and targeting the attacks it is making on the Hamas war machine. |
| "I don't understand why they are using such a brutal way in attacking the provocations they are receiving." | "I don't understand why they are using such a brutal way in attacking the provocations they are receiving." |
| Asked whether he believed Israel's military response was "disproportionate" to the threat it faced, which would be unlawful under the Geneva Conventions, he said: "Yes." | Asked whether he believed Israel's military response was "disproportionate" to the threat it faced, which would be unlawful under the Geneva Conventions, he said: "Yes." |
| He added: "Most Palestinians desperately crave peace - Hamas, of course does not - and most Israelis desperately crave peace too... Israel risks losing public support internationally and that is a great concern in terms of its long-term security." | He added: "Most Palestinians desperately crave peace - Hamas, of course does not - and most Israelis desperately crave peace too... Israel risks losing public support internationally and that is a great concern in terms of its long-term security." |
| 'Just not working' | 'Just not working' |
| Liberal Democrat MP Bob Russell has called on Parliament to be recalled from its summer break, which began 10 days ago, to debate the crisis. | |
| Tory MPs to raise concerns in recent days include former Foreign Office minister Alastair Burt and Margot James, a parliamentary aide to Commons leader and former Foreign Secretary William Hague. | Tory MPs to raise concerns in recent days include former Foreign Office minister Alastair Burt and Margot James, a parliamentary aide to Commons leader and former Foreign Secretary William Hague. |
| In a letter to Mr Hammond, Ms James said her constituents believed Israeli actions to be "wholly disproportionate to the threat posed by Hamas" and called for a much tougher stance from the UK. | In a letter to Mr Hammond, Ms James said her constituents believed Israeli actions to be "wholly disproportionate to the threat posed by Hamas" and called for a much tougher stance from the UK. |
| Two soldiers died in a firefight in the southern Gaza Strip at 09:30 local time. The Gaza health ministry said dozens were killed by Israeli shelling in the area shortly after the incident. | Two soldiers died in a firefight in the southern Gaza Strip at 09:30 local time. The Gaza health ministry said dozens were killed by Israeli shelling in the area shortly after the incident. |
| Since Israel began its offensive in Gaza on 8 July, more than 1,420 Palestinians have been killed and 8,265 injured, most of them civilians, according to the health ministry. | Since Israel began its offensive in Gaza on 8 July, more than 1,420 Palestinians have been killed and 8,265 injured, most of them civilians, according to the health ministry. |
| Israel says it will not stop its operation in Gaza until all the tunnels, which militants use to infiltrate Israeli territory, have been destroyed. Hames has called on Israel to lift its blockade of the territory. | Israel says it will not stop its operation in Gaza until all the tunnels, which militants use to infiltrate Israeli territory, have been destroyed. Hames has called on Israel to lift its blockade of the territory. |
| Labour MP Richard Burden, chairman of the Britain-Palestine all-party parliamentary group, said there must be a renewed drive for peace. | Labour MP Richard Burden, chairman of the Britain-Palestine all-party parliamentary group, said there must be a renewed drive for peace. |
| "That means a ceasefire now, and tackling the blockade - which is one of the root causes of the escalation in conflict we have seen over the past weeks," he said. | "That means a ceasefire now, and tackling the blockade - which is one of the root causes of the escalation in conflict we have seen over the past weeks," he said. |