by Matt Dathan, The Times
Plans to recognise statehood are ‘one of the fruits of October 7’, the terrorist group says, as the PM is urged to delay until it releases its hostages
Sir Keir Starmer has suffered a fresh backlash from Labour MPs over his decision to recognise a Palestinian state after Hamas praised the move as “one of the fruits of October 7”.
Labour MPs, families of hostages and campaigners against antisemitism have called on the prime minister to delay recognition until Hamas has released the remaining hostages.
Starmer announced last week that Britain would only refrain from recognising a Palestinian state at the UN general assembly next month if Israel allowed more aid into Gaza, stopped annexing land in the West Bank, agreed to a ceasefire and signed up to a long-term peace process over the next two months.
He has not made the release of the remaining hostages a condition of Palestinian statehood. Israel says 49 hostages are still in Gaza, 27 of them believed to be dead.