ISTANBUL 

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Friday that the UK will evacuate children who need urgent medical aid in Gaza.

"The UK will pull every lever we have to get food and lifesaving support to Palestinians, and we will evacuate children who need urgent medical assistance," Starmer wrote on X, reaffirming that they will bring them to the UK for specialist medical treatment.

He called the "appalling scenes" in Gaza "unrelenting," while stressing that the denial of aid to children and babies is "completely unjustifiable."

"It is a humanitarian catastrophe, and it must end," Starmer noted.

Finding out that Israel will allow countries to airdrop aid into Gaza "too late," he assured that the UK will do everything possible to obtain aid while collaborating with Jordanian authorities.

"More broadly, alongside our closest allies, I am working on a pathway to peace in the region, focused on the practical solutions that will make a real difference to the lives of those who are suffering in this war.

"That pathway will set out concrete steps to turn the desperately needed ceasefire into a lasting peace. Recognition of a Palestinian state has to be one of those steps," Starmer added.

He reaffirmed that he is "unequivocal" about recognizing a Palestinian state but reiterated that the decision must be part of a larger plan that leads to a two-state solution and long-term security in the region.

"That is the way to ensure that recognition is a tool of maximum impact to improve the lives of those who are suffering, and that must always be our ultimate goal," Starmer added.

He further stressed that they should build a new international coalition "behind a plan to end the suffering" for the long term.