LONDON (Reuters) – British foreign minister David Cameron will call for increased coordination between allies to address the “desperate” humanitarian situation in Gaza during a visit to Paris and Rome on Tuesday, his office said.
“As we face some of the greatest challenges to international security in a lifetime, our response must be one of strength and resilience with our European allies,” said Cameron, a former prime minister who took over the foreign secretary role about a month ago.
“From the desperate humanitarian situation in Gaza, to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s brutality in Ukraine, it is more important than ever to strengthen our alliances and make sure our voice is heard,” he said in a statement.
Cameron is set to urge for continued support for Kyiv in meetings with his French counterpart Catherine Colonna and President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. Macron’s office has said the leaders will discuss Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East.
In Rome, Cameron will discuss ways to strengthen cooperation with Italy on tackling illegal migration in his talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Over the weekend, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was in Rome where he delivered some of his strongest criticisms yet of the global asylum system, warning that the threat of growing number of refugees could “overwhelm” parts of Europe.
Cameron will reiterate his call for a “sustainable ceasefire” in the Gaza Strip, and for increased coordination across European allies to ensure humanitarian aid can get into the enclave, the statement added.
There has been growing concern amongst foreign governments and international organisations over the civilian death toll in Gaza from Israeli bombardments. The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza has said that over 19,000 Palestinians have been killed since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas that killed 1,200 people and triggered the war.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin travelled to Tel Aviv earlier this week to urge Israel to do more to protect civilians.
Britain, which has proscribed Hamas as a terrorist organisation, slapped sanctions on senior leaders of the militant group and its financiers after the Oct. 7 attack.
(Reporting by Muvija M, Editing by Rosalba O’Brien)
