Under pressure, new UK govt suspends 30 of its 350 arms export licenses to Israel

Amid the ongoing Israel-Gaza war, the United Kingdom has announced partial sanctions on Israel as Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the UK is suspending approximately 30 export licenses for military equipment.

The UK government reviewed its international humanitarian law in the course of the warfare of Israel’s military operations in Gaza and eventually revoked 30 licenses out of a total of around 350 military equipment, which includes components for military aircraft, helicopters, drones and items which facilitate ground targeting.

The government in its report concluded that there was a serious threat that the artillery exported to Israel might be used by the country against Gaza in violation of international humanitarian law.

Though the UK government officials clarified that the decision to revoke partial licenses of the military equipment isn’t an arms embargo and the administration is not working to prejudge the results of international courts, like International Criminal Court or International Court of Justice.

The UK has been under pressure to halt the supply of arms and artillery to Israel due to the growing number of fatalities in the Gaza war and the destruction of public utilities and infrastructure.

Protests have erupted across Israel and have created havoc for the PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to secure a ceasefire deal with Hamas militant group based in Gaza and get 101 Israeli hostages back who are supposedly still alive.

The Israel-Gaza war began last year in October when Hamas militants attacked the country and reportedly killed 1,200 Israeli while taking 250 hostages with them. In response, Israel has killed close to 41,000 Palestinians and thousands have been destabilized from their homes, according Gaza’s health ministry.