UK official: Netanyahu broke Gaza truce to avoid trial

Labour MP Emily Thornberry, chair of the UK Foreign Affairs Select Committee, has accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of deliberately breaking the Gaza ceasefire to avoid corruption charges, per Middle Eastern Eye.

Responding to claims by Israeli Ambassador Tzipi Hotovely that “Hamas breached the ceasefire,” Thornberry countered that Israel refused to progress from hostage exchanges to the agreed second phase of Israeli withdrawal and Gaza negotiations.

“The reason for that is because Netanyahu is clinging on to power by his fingernails,” Thornberry told Sky News, suggesting the Israeli leader resumed bombing to avoid legal troubles.

Despite her sharp criticism, Emily Thornberry stopped short of endorsing sanctions against Israel during an LBC interview.

Her comments follow a pattern of mixed messaging from the Labour government. Foreign Secretary David Lammy recently called Israel’s Gaza blockade a “breach of international law” before being forced to downgrade his assessment to a “risk” of breach after apparent intervention from Prime Minister Starmer.

Middle Eastern Eye