BBC News
Hundreds of lawyers have called on the British government to use "all the available means" to stop fighting in Gaza, including reviewing trade relations with Israel, imposing sanctions and travel bans on Israeli ministers.
There were about 828 British or qualified legal experts on Monday, including a former Supreme Court judge, and on Monday signed a letter from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
They warned that “genocide is taking place in Gaza” from Israel’s blockade of food and aid and its new military offensive blockade, where hundreds of Palestinians have been killed in the past two weeks.
Israel strongly denied the allegations of genocide, which were also reviewed by the International Court of Justice.
The lawyer's letter, amid growing criticism from Israel's Western allies, condemned its latest military offensive that began in mid-May and was affected by the blockade. From March 2, the lockdown has been fully in effect for 11 weeks.
Last week, Britain, France and Canada issued a joint statement denouncing the “weird” expansion of Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused British, French and Canadian leaders of “siding with Hamas”, saying the offense was intended to release the remaining 58 hostages held by the group.
But British Foreign Secretary David Lammy called the upgrade "morally unreasonable." Britain suspended negotiations on a trade deal last week, convened an Israeli ambassador and imposed new sanctions on West Bank settlers.
Netanyahu announced Israel intends to take over the Gaza Strip and move residents from north to south.
According to Hamas-operated rescue authorities and the Ministry of Health in the region, the operation had about 100 glycerols a day during the first week of strikes.
On Monday, a panel of legal experts said in a detailed 36-page letter that Israel's May offensive was a "serious violation of international law" and also violated the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.
A group of lawyers, legal experts and retired judges said they expressed "deep concern about the catastrophic deterioration of the disaster in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, and that violations of international law "has committed international law and further threatened Israel."
"First of all, genocide is committed in Gaza, or at least there is a serious risk of genocide," the legal expert wrote.
They say this was caused by Israel's lockdown - now allowed aid trick streams are "seriously insufficient".
They say the UK and all countries must “prevent and punish genocide”.
"British actions have failed to meet these standards so far," they said, but they welcomed the "signs" of stronger actions in last week's statement.
Lawyers wrote that the UK must immediately impose financial and immigration sanctions on Israeli ministers suspected of "illegal conduct" to help ensure the ceasefire.
The letter also calls on the UK to review its existing trade relations with Israel, impose trade sanctions on the country, and suspend the UK-Israel’s “road map for 2030” – agreements between the UK and Israel in defense, technology and science, culture, art, art and other fields.
They called on the Government to ensure its obligations as a member of the International Criminal Court to take action under the arrest warrant issued by the Court. Netanyahu is currently wanted by the court for alleged war crimes in Gaza and violation of international law, accusing him of stressing his denial.
The letter is the latest news from the group since the war began in October 2023. Its first letter came within weeks of the conflict, raising concerns about the British government selling weapons to Israel.
The British High Court is now reviewing the legality of the UK's decision on arms sales.
Israel launched a military campaign to destroy Hamas in response to the unprecedented cross-border attack on October 7, 2023, with about 1,200 people killed and another 251 were taken hostage.
At least 54,056 people have since been killed in Gaza, including 3,901 since Israel resumed its offensive after a ceasefire on March 18, according to the Hamas-Run Ministry of Health in the region.
Germany and Finland also spoke out on Tuesday, saying Israel must immediately allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told reporters, with Finnish Prime Minister Finnish Preside Grestri Orpo in Finland.
“However, it is crucial that Hamas cannot prevent humanitarian aid from reaching.”
Meles, who strongly criticized Israel in recent days, said the incident in Gaza is "absolutely unacceptable." He described the impact on Gaza civilians as “excessive” and called for an end to killings and suffering.
"This is a terrible human disaster and we have to be able to solve it," Orpo added.
Sweden also called the Israeli ambassador to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday and called on the country to "immediately ensure a secure and unhindered humanitarian visit to Gaza."
The Swedish Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Israel has the right to defend itself, but that "the current situation of the war is unacceptable."