In a statement to the Commons, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak revealed that British intelligence analysis suggests the explosion at Gaza’s Al-Ahli hospital was likely caused by a missile or part thereof launched from within Gaza towards Israel. Sunak emphasised the need to learn from the incident, stating that the misreporting had negative repercussions in the region, impacting crucial US diplomatic efforts and increasing tensions domestically.

The Hamas-controlled Palestinian authorities initially blamed Israel for the blast, asserting it was a deliberate airstrike. However, Israel presented evidence suggesting Palestinian Islamic Jihad, another militant group in Gaza, was responsible due to a misfiring rocket. Islamic Jihad denied any involvement in the incident.

Key points from Sunak’s parliamentary address include a call for cautious diplomacy, recognising the challenging realities on the ground. He stressed the importance of investing in regional stability and the two-state solution while asserting that there can be “no scenario” where Hamas is allowed to continue. Sunak also revealed discussions with world leaders on preventing further escalation.

Describing the 7 October attack as driven by Hamas’ fear of a changing “equilibrium” in the Middle East, possibly referring to normalisation efforts by Arab countries with Israel, Sunak urged great care and caution in handling the situation. Drawing parallels between the Gaza conflict and battles in Ukraine, he highlighted Putin’s fear of Ukraine’s emergence as a Western democracy and his attempt to revert it to an “imperialist fantasy of the past.” Sunak concluded with a strong statement, asserting that both Putin and Hamas would ultimately fail, and that hope in humanity must prevail against terrorism.