Six British citizens killed in Hamas attack - Sunak

Watch: Rishi Sunak "sickened" by the rise in antisemitic crimes in UK

By James Gregory
BBC News

Six British citizens have been killed in Hamas's attack on Israel and a further 10 are missing, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said.

Mr Sunak called the attack a "pogrom", adding the UK must "support absolutely Israel's right to defend itself".

The families of some of the missing were in Parliament watching his statement.

He also confirmed the UK was providing a further £10m in humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people.

Speaking about the Hamas attack in Israel last weekend, Mr Sunak said: "The elderly, men, women, children, babes in arms, murdered, mutilated, burned alive.

"We should call it by its name: it was a pogrom."

The term "pogrom" refers to violent and organised attacks against Jews, and is particularly associated with pre-World War Two eastern Europe.

Mr Sunak told MPs the UK had so far organised eight flights out of Israel for 500 British citizens, with more expected to leave on Monday.

"We stand with you, we stand with Israel," Mr Sunak said, addressing the families of some of those missing who were watching from the public gallery.

The prime minister said the UK had spoken to Egypt about opening the Rafah crossing on the Egypt-Gaza border.

Palestinians have been gathering at the crossing in the southern Gaza Strip in the hope of leaving ahead of an expected Israeli ground offensive.

Hamas gunmen infiltrated Israel just over a week ago, killing more than 1,400 people.

More than 2,700 people in Gaza have been killed in retaliatory strikes by Israel, which is also blocking fuel, water, food and medical supplies from entering the territory.

Two British teenage sisters, known only as Yahel, 13, and Noiya, 16, are among those missing following last weekend's attacks.

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Mr Sunak also told MPs that extra government funding has been allocated to protect Jewish institutions in the UK.

It comes as the Metropolitan Police says there has been a "massive increase" in antisemitic incidents in London following Hamas's attacks in Israel on 7 October.

Mr Sunak said he was "sickened" that such incidents had increased, adding: "We are doing everything we can to protect you.

"This atrocity was an existential strike at the very idea of Israel as a safe homeland for the Jewish people."

He also addressed the British Muslim community who he said was "appalled" by Hamas's actions, but "fearful" of the response by Israel in Gaza.

"Hamas is using innocent Palestinian people as human shields," he said.

"We mourn the loss of every innocent life, civilians of every faith, every nationality who have been killed.

"And so, let's say it plainly, we stand with British Muslim communities too."

The further £10m in humanitarian aid will be provided to civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, up from the £27m existing funding this year.

"An acute humanitarian crisis is unfolding to which we must respond, we must support, because they are victims of Hamas too," Mr Sunak said.

Also addressing MPs, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said civilians "must not be targeted" and called for humanitarian corridors to be opened to allow the supply of food, water and electricity to the Gaza Strip.

He said it was crucial the House of Commons spoke "with one voice" in condemnation of terror and in its support of Israel, adding Hamas "do not wish to see peace in the Middle East".

Both Mr Sunak and Sir Keir reiterated the UK's long-standing foreign policy position, calling for a two-state solution - the establishment of both independent Israeli and Palestinian states.

But the scale of the siege on Gaza was also criticised in Parliament. Both Labour MP Richard Burgon and Conservative MP Crispin Blunt said the Israeli government's action in Gaza amounted to "collective punishment" of the Palestinian people.

Mr Burgon also condemned what he described as a "heinous act of terrorism" by Hamas in Israel.

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