The British government halted on Tuesday free trade talks with Israel and imposed fresh sanctions on Israeli settlers in the West Bank, in a sharp rebuke of Israel's genocidal actions in Gaza.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy also announced his ministry was summoning the Israeli ambassador over Israel's expansion of its military operations in the occupied Palestinian territory.
Tuesday's actions came a day after the U.K, France and Canada condemned Israel's violations in Gaza and its unlawful actions in the occupied West Bank.
Lammy said the U.K.'s existing trade agreement is in effect but the government can't continue discussions with an Israeli government pursuing what he called egregious policies in the West Bank and Gaza.
Lammy said the persistent cycle of violence by extremist Israeli settlers in the West Bank demanded action.
"The Israeli government has a responsibility to intervene and halt these aggressive actions," Lammy said. "Their consistent failure to act is putting Palestinian communities and the two-state solution in peril."
The announcement came after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer ramped up his criticism of Israel on Tuesday, saying the level of suffering by children in Gaza was "utterly intolerable" and repeated his call for a cease-fire.
"I want to put on record today that we're horrified by the escalation from Israel," Starmer told the U.K.'s Parliament.
His brief remarks followed a scathing joint condemnation he issued Monday with French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney that marked one of the most significant criticisms by close allies of Israel's handling of the war in Gaza and its actions in the West Bank.
The three leaders threatened to take "concrete actions" if the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not cease its renewed military offensive and significantly lift restrictions on humanitarian aid.
Starmer repeated the trio's demand for a cease-fire, saying it was the only way to free the hostages Hamas still holds. He also called for increased shipments of humanitarian aid into Gaza, saying the basic quantity allowed by Israel is "utterly inadequate."
"We must coordinate our response, because this war has gone on for far too long," Starmer said. "We cannot allow the people of Gaza to starve."
International pressure has been building on Israel following a nearly three-month blockade of supplies into Gaza that led to famine warnings. Even the United States, a staunch ally of Israel, has voiced concerns over the growing hunger crisis.
While Israel allowed trucks with baby food and desperately needed supplies to begin rolling into Gaza on Monday, U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher described the volume of aid as a drop in the ocean of what is urgently needed."
Patience with Israel is wearing thin after it killed more than 53,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Israel's latest onslaught has killed more than 300 people in recent days, local health officials said.
In recent weeks, Macron intensified diplomatic efforts to put pressure on Israel, urging a cease-fire and calling for the lifting of the blockade of humanitarian aid.
