Douglas Alexander MP Labour’s Shadow Foreign Secretary said:

“Any ceasefire - even a temporary one of a few hours - in this conflict is to be welcomed, but the human suffering caused by this violence endures.‎

“Three weeks ago, in the House of Commons, I warned that a ground incursion by Israel would be a disaster for the peoples of both Gaza and Israel, and represent a strategic error for Israel.

"Overnight, the world rightly reacted with outrage to the latest sickening deaths of Palestinian civilians seeking shelter inside a UN school in Rafah. 

“The continued killing of civilians and children in Gaza in recent days represents both a moral failure and a strategic error.  

“Over 1,800 Palestinians are reported to have been killed and more than 9,000 injured, with tens of thousands more made homeless, without basic access to water, electricity, and food. During the same period, three civilians in Israel and 64 members of the IDF have lost their lives.

"Today’s latest news both of a reported terror attack in Jerusalem, and reports of the tragic death of a British aid worker in Gaza only confirms the suffering that continues.

“Hamas display no regard for human life and must cease firing rockets into Israel and digging tunnels to facilitate the murder of civilians.

“But sustainable security for Israel cannot be achieved simply by permanent blockade, aerial bombardment and periodic ground incursion. Instead, it requires acknowledging that Palestinian statehood is not a gift to be given but a right to be recognised, and sustained efforts must be made to move beyond a profoundly unjust status quo.”