Judi Dench, Malala and Stanley Tucci join call to 'end UK complicity' in Gaza

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Dame Judi Dench, Malala and Stanley Tucci are among different 100 celebrated names who've added their signatures to a missive urging Sir Keir Starmer to "end the UK's complicity" successful Gaza.

Sky News tin exclusively uncover the Bond actress, Nobel Peace Prize victor and Conclave histrion are among a big of nationalist figures who've added their names to the letter.

At the extremity of May, Sky News revealed astir 300 actors, bands, singers, activists and sportspeople signed the letter, organised by exile foundation Choose Love, calling connected Sir Keir to suspend each UK arms income and licences to Israel.

Dua Lipa, Benedict Cumberbatch and Gary Lineker were among the celebrities to besides impulse the PM to usage each disposable means to guarantee afloat humanitarian entree and broker an contiguous and imperishable ceasefire.

Celebrities and activists besides work retired each the names of children killed successful Gaza successful beforehand of parliament.

But 3 weeks later, they accidental thing has changed and Gaza has go a "secondary" warfront to Iran aft Israel attacked atomic and subject sites successful Iran past Friday, initiating a full-blown struggle betwixt the 2 countries.

 PA

Image: Dua Lipa, Gary Lineker and Benedict Cumberbatch signed the missive successful May. Pics: PA

Other caller signatories see actors Florence Pugh and Russell Tovey, vocalist Paolo Nutini, writer Michael Rosen, instrumentalist Paul Weller, Little Mix members Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall, broadcaster Fearne Cotton, Game of Thrones histrion Carice van Houten, Dr Who prima Ncuti Gatwa, Harry Potter histrion Bonnie Wright and ex-England rugby skipper Chris Robshaw.

The missive urges Sir Keir to "take contiguous enactment to extremity the UK's complicity successful the horrors of Gaza", and says children are starving "while nutrient and medicine beryllium conscionable minutes away", successful notation to Israel blocking assistance into the territory.

It says 71,000 children nether 4 are "acutely malnourished" and those who past starvation "wake up to bombs falling connected them", with much than 15,000 children killed successful the struggle truthful far.

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 Reuters

Image: Ncuti Gatwa, who plays Dr Who, has signed the letter. Pic: Reuters

 Reuters

Image: Actress Florence Pugh has besides signed the letter. Pic: Reuters

 Reuters

Image: Actor Russell Tovey is simply a signatory too. Pic: Reuters

"Violence stamped with UK inaction - flown with parts shipped from British factories to Israel - could beryllium obliterating families successful seconds," the missive adds.

"You can't telephone it 'intolerable', yet bash nothing.

"Every infinitesimal this continues, is different infinitesimal children dice connected our watch.

"History is written successful moments of motivation clarity. This is one. The satellite is watching and past volition not forget. The children of Gaza cannot hold different minute.

"Prime minister, what volition you choose? Complicity successful warfare crimes, oregon the courageousness to act?"

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Steve Coogan: It has to stop

What has Starmer said and done astir Gaza?

In September, the UK suspended astir 30 arms export licences to Israel, but authorities export licensing figures from May amusement the UK approved licences for £127.6m worthy of subject instrumentality from October to December 2024 - much than the full betwixt 2020 and 2023.

Since the archetypal missive was sent, Sir Keir has called Israel's actions successful Gaza - some the blockade of assistance and strikes - "appalling and intolerable".

Some of his ain MPs are pressuring him to instrumentality further enactment against Israel and telephone the 20-month warfare - which started erstwhile Hamas killed 1,195 radical successful Israel and took 250 hostage - a genocide, but helium has not utilized those words.

On 10 June, the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway sanctioned far-right Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich implicit "repeated incitements of unit against Palestinian civilians".

They are banned from entering the UK and are present taxable to a frost connected UK assets and manager disqualifications.

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Gaza situation 'acute' and continuing

Last week, Sir Keir said much RAF jets, including Typhoons and air-to-air refuelers, were being sent to the Middle East aft Israel and Iran attacked each other.

On Tuesday, Sir Keir told Sky News' governmental exertion Beth Rigby helium is "worried astir the impact" escalation betwixt the 2 countries volition person connected Gaza.

Josie Naughton, co-founder and CEO of Choose Love, said: "Since we urged the authorities to extremity its complicity successful the horrors of Gaza, much radical person added their dependable to our call. We cannot beryllium soundless portion children are being killed and families are being starved.

"It took america 18 hours to work the 15,613 names of children known to beryllium killed successful Gaza. Every azygous 1 of them was someone's full universe. Every 1 of them deserved better.

"The concern is changing by the second, but until the UK authorities has halted each arms income and licences to Israel, ensured that humanitarian assistance tin scope radical starving wrong Gaza and stopped the killing, they volition not person done enough.

"History volition retrieve however we acted successful this moment. We beg Keir Starmer to extremity the UK's complicity successful these horrors."

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A authorities spokesperson said: "We powerfully reason the enlargement of subject operations successful Gaza and telephone connected the Israeli authorities to cease its violative and instantly let for unfettered entree to humanitarian aid.

"The denial of indispensable humanitarian assistance to the civilian colonisation successful Gaza is unacceptable and risks breaching planetary humanitarian law."

The spokesperson added: "Last year, we suspended export licences to Israel for items utilized successful subject operations successful Gaza and proceed to garbage licences for subject goods that could beryllium utilized by Israel successful the existent conflict.

"We impulse each parties to urgently hold a ceasefire statement and enactment towards a imperishable and sustainable peace."

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