LONDON 

British Premier Keir Starmer on Wednesday described the situation in Gaza as “horrifying” and a “man-made famine,” amid concerns over the delivery of humanitarian aid.

Starmer made the comments during questioning from Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey in Parliament.

Davey referred to the “horrifying images” coming from Gaza and asked whether Starmer would urge US President Donald Trump, “the one man in the world” who he said could help stop the crisis, to take action during his upcoming state visit to the UK.

Starmer said he would speak to all leaders about the situation.

He added that if Davey had not refused the state banquet invitation, he could have spoken to Trump about the issue himself. “It is not an act of leadership not to attend,” he said.

Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy also questioned Starmer on what steps the UK government is taking to protect British citizens on the Global Sumud Flotilla. Starmer responded: “She raised a really important issue in relation to the horrifying situation in Gaza, and the Israeli government is preventing urgently needed aid from getting in, and that is why we're now seeing a man-made famine. And that should cause us all to pause and reflect."

"I have to say, and we are working with other countries to get aid in by any practical means, but land routes are the only viable and sustainable means of getting aid into Gaza at the scale that is required, and Israel must lift the restrictions to allow aid agencies to deliver the life-saving supply, he added.

Around 200 activists, politicians, and artists from 44 countries initially set sail Sunday from Barcelona after a large rally in support of their mission.

On Sunday, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir presented a plan to the Israeli Cabinet for the flotilla that includes holding the activists in prolonged detention.

In June, Israel seized another flotilla carrying activists such as climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, who is making the voyage again, and deported the activists.