"The Palestinian people have endured horrific suffering," Starmer said at a press conference. "Now in Gaza, due to the catastrophic failure of aid, we see babies starving and children unable to stand up. These are images that will haunt us for the rest of our lives. The suffering must end."
Starmer indicated that his government would study developments and make a final decision on recognizing a Palestinian state next September, when the UN General Assembly convenes.
An informed source told Reuters that Starmer had a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, before his country announced its intention to recognize a Palestinian state in September.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy also said Tuesday that Britain will recognize a Palestinian state in September if Israel does not end its war on Gaza and commit to peace.
He added, in a speech during the two-state solution conference, that the international community was shocked to see children in Gaza being shot while searching for food, and that "the widespread malnutrition and famine in Gaza are troubling the international community."
In the first Israeli comment, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a post on the X website on Tuesday that Britain's plans to recognize a Palestinian state in September represent a "reward for Hamas" and would harm efforts to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
In a related development, Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela announced on Tuesday that his country will recognize the state of Palestine during the United Nations General Assembly in September.
Abela made this announcement hours after a similar announcement by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and days after France announced its plans to recognize a Palestinian state. "Our position expresses our commitment to efforts to achieve lasting peace in the Middle East," Abela said in a Facebook post.
