Cameron ‘worried’ Israel may have acted against international law

The UK Foreign Secretary has said he is “worried” that Israel may have acted in breach of international law in the Middle East conflict.

Lord David Cameron said that he “of course” has concerns about the crisis in Gaza but that it is not his job to make a “legal adjudication”.

During his first grilling by MPs since his return to Cabinet, the former prime minister told Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee: “If you’re asking me am I worried that Israel has taken action that might be in breach of international law because this particular premise has been bombed or whatever?

“Yes, of course I’m worried about that, and that’s why I consult the Foreign Office lawyers when giving this advice on arms exports.”

Lord Cameron also called on Israel to restore water supply in Gaza but declined to be drawn on whether depriving the civilian population of it amounts to breaking laws on armed conflict.

The UK Government has said it supports Israel’s right to defend itself following Hamas’s October 7 attacks but urged it to show restraint and act in accordance with international rules.

During a tense exchange with SNP MP Brendan O’Hara, Lord Cameron said he has seen things regarding the crisis which are “deeply concerning” but would not say whether he had received legal advice suggesting laws had been breached.

Downing Street later said Israel needs to “act carefully” and avoid risking further escalation in its war with Hamas.

Asked if Rishi Sunak shares Lord Cameron’s concerns about whether Israel has been acting within international law, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “It’s an issue we continue to keep under review and obviously we have made our views clear to the Israeli government at a number of levels on this.”

The spokesman added: “We continue to want Israel to act carefully and avoid doing anything that could endanger civilians or risk potential further escalation.

“Fundamentally, though, we recognise that it is Israel that is responding to a terror attack, first and foremost.”

Earlier, Lord Cameron also told the committee two British nationals are still being held hostage by Hamas as heavy bombardment and fighting continues to shake the region.

Asked if it is known if the two people are alive, he said: “I just don’t want to say any more. We don’t have any information to share with you.”

An estimated 240 people were taken prisoner in Gaza after Hamas’s October 7 attacks against Israel.

During a ceasefire in November, 105 hostages were released.

Israel is also fighting a claim from South Africa that its actions meet the threshold for genocide at the Hague.

The Foreign Secretary said he did not agree with the case, telling MPs: “I don’t think it’s right. I don’t think we should bandy round terms like genocide in this case.”

Speaking after the committee hearing, chairwoman Alicia Kearns said that she did not think Lord Cameron had provided clear answers to MPs on the issue of Israel and international law.

She told BBC Radio 4’s PM programme that she believed Israel, as an occupying power in Gaza, had breached international humanitarian law.

“The reality is that it is not always for courts to make determinations,” she said.

“On issues such as international humanitarian law, and whether or not it has been broken or not, I made the point to him he has previously made those determinations from the dispatch box as Prime Minister.”

It comes after US secretary of state Antony Blinken held talks in Israel earlier on Tuesday as he seeks a plan for Gaza’s post-war future.

The US and Israel remain deeply divided over how Gaza will be run if and when its current Hamas rulers are defeated.

US officials have called for the Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, to take over in Gaza and for negotiations to resume on the creation of a Palestinian state.

Israeli leaders have staunchly refused both.

“There is lots to talk about, in particular about the way forward,” Mr Blinken said after meeting Israeli President Isaac Herzog.

Some 1,200 people, mainly civilians, were killed in Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel.

Since the war began, more than 23,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 58,000 have been wounded in Israel’s assault in Gaza, according to its Hamas-run health ministry.