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| UK officials address Gaza genocide allegations and humanitarian crisis. |
The United Kingdom has officially stated it does not believe Israel is committing genocide in Gaza despite acknowledging "appalling" civilian casualties and widespread destruction in the Palestinian territory. The position was detailed in a government letter to Parliament dated September 1, 2025, and comes amid ongoing international debate about Israel's military actions .
Former Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who recently moved to become deputy prime minister in a government reshuffle, wrote that the UK government had carefully considered the risk of genocide but concluded Israel was not acting with the specific intent required under international law. "The crime of genocide only occurs where there is specific intent to destroy in whole or in part a national, ethnic, racial or religious group," Lammy stated. "The government has not concluded that Israel is acting with that intent" .
The letter acknowledged the severe human cost of the conflict, noting "high civilian casualties including women and children and the extensive destruction in Gaza are utterly appalling." Lammy emphasized that Israel "must do much more to prevent and alleviate the suffering that this conflict is causing" .
The UK's position comes as the humanitarian situation in Gaza reaches catastrophic levels. On August 22, 2025, a UN-backed mechanism confirmed famine in Gaza City and surrounding areas, with warnings it would spread across the territory. Since July 1, over 300 people have died from malnutrition, including 119 children. More than 132,000 children under five are at risk of dying from hunger by June 2026 .
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper described the situation as "a man-made famine in the twenty-first century" and expressed outrage at "the Israeli government's refusal to allow sufficient aid." She noted that over 2,000 Gazans have been killed in the past three months while trying to feed their families .
The genocide question has divided international opinion and created tensions within the UK government. While the official position denies genocidal intent, some voices within the government have expressed contrary views. Scotland's First Minister John Swinney stated in a September 3 address that he shared "the concerns of other countries and international leaders that a genocide appears to be unfolding in Gaza" .
Swinney pointed to statements by Israeli officials, including Defense Minister Yoav Gallant's description of Palestinians as "human animals" and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's invocation of the biblical command "Remember Amalek," historically associated with collective annihilation. "Credible, widely documented evidence suggests that both of these conditions may be present in Israel's conduct in Gaza," Swinney said .
The Scottish government has announced it will pause new awards of public money to arms companies whose products or services are provided to countries where there is plausible evidence of genocide being committed, including Israel .
The UK government's position letter also addressed arms exports, revealing that ministers had not concluded any British-made parts for F-35 jets sold to Israel had directly led to breaches of international humanitarian law. The government rejected calls for an independent audit of UK arms sales, stating they were not in a position to determine if Israel's assault in Gaza had led to any humanitarian law breaches due to "the complexity of the fighting terrain" .
Meanwhile, the conflict continues to strain UK-Israel relations. The Israeli government has expressed anger over Britain's plan to recognize a Palestinian state and its decision to block Israeli officials from attending the UK's biggest defense trade show. Israeli President Isaac Herzog is scheduled to visit London this week for meetings with Prime Minister Keir Starmer .
The UK government has taken several actions in response to the situation, including restoring funding to UNRWA, suspending some arms exports that could be used in Gaza, signing an agreement with the Palestinian Authority, and implementing three sanctions packages on violent settlers and far-right Israeli ministers. The UK has also provided nearly £250 million in development assistance over the past two years .
On September 1, the government announced an additional £15 million of aid and medical care for Gaza and the region. The UK is also working with the World Health Organization to bring critically ill and injured children to the UK for specialist NHS treatment, with the first patients expected to arrive in coming weeks .
The fundamental UK position remains that an immediate ceasefire is essential. "We all know there is only one way out," Foreign Secretary Cooper told Parliament. "An immediate ceasefire that would see the unconditional release by Hamas of all hostages. An immediate ceasefire that would see a transformation in the delivery of aid" .
The government's stance on genocide aligns with its long-held position that such determinations should be made by courts rather than governments. However, the formulation that ministers have carefully considered the risk of genocide moves closer to accepting responsibility for determining if a genocide is occurring, rather than simply referring the issue to a final determination by the International Court of Justice .
As the humanitarian crisis deepens and diplomatic tensions continue, the UK government maintains its position that while Israel's actions have caused immense suffering, they do not meet the legal definition of genocide. This stance places the UK at odds with some international partners and human rights organizations but aligns with its approach of working through diplomatic channels to address the conflict .