British premier refuses to call for cease-fire as Christmas message for Gazan children

BIRMINGHAM, England

When asked about his Christmas message for the children of besieged Gaza, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Wednesday ruled out calling for a cease-fire.

In a question at the House of Commons, the Scottish National Party’s (SNP) Westminster leader Stephen Flynn asked: “Can the prime minister please share his Christmas message for children being bombed in Gaza this winter?”

Sunak again refused to call for a cease-fire and said: “Nobody wants to see this conflict go on for a moment longer than necessary. We have been consistent that we support what is a sustainable cease-fire, which means Hamas must stop launching rockets into Israel and release all the hostages."

Flynn added that if the Israeli attacks continue, then it is estimated that almost 1,400 more children will be killed by Dec. 25, Christmas Day.

He then said the UK "shamefully" abstained on a UN General Assembly motion this week demanding a cease-fire, and added: "How can the prime minister possibly explain why 153 nations are wrong, yet Westminster is right?"

Sunak replied by saying Britain is deeply concerned about the “devastating impact” of the fighting in Gaza on the civilian population.

“Too many people have lost their lives already, and this is something that we've stressed, and I've stressed personally, to (Israeli) Prime Minister Netanyahu just last week."

Sunak’s comments come as even US President Joe Biden – whose country voted against the UN resolution – is warning Netanyahu that Israel is losing international support due to its “indiscriminate bombing” of Gaza, leaving over 18,400 Palestinians dead in its wake.