LONDON

The UK “played a key role behind the scenes” in brokering the Gaza ceasefire deal but there are “no plans” to send British troops to enforce it, a British Cabinet secretary said.

Britain was “involved in shaping” the ceasefire agreement, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson told Sky News.

“We have played a key role behind the scenes in shaping this,” she said. “It’s right that we do so because it’s in all of our interests, including our own national interest, that we move to a lasting peace in the region.”

She stressed that the UK has “no plans” to deploy troops to enforce the ceasefire, which comes amid hopes that hostages will soon be released and humanitarian aid will begin flowing into Gaza.

“We all hope that the ceasefire is holding,” Phillipson said.

“We hope that in the next few hours we will see the release of hostages who've been held for an unconscionably long period of time, and that through this process, we move to the next phase where Gaza can be rebuilt, where humanitarian aid gets in, and we move to that enduring and lasting peace where the Palestinian people can have their own state and live in peace alongside a safe and secure Israel.”

Pressed on what role the UK actually played, Phillipson said: “These are complex matters of diplomacy that we are involved in. But we do welcome, recognize the critical role that the American government played in moving us to this point.”

Asked about comments from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio claiming that the UK and other European nations made reaching a peace deal more difficult by recognizing Palestine as a state, she said: “We believed as a government that it was the right thing to do. If that hadn’t happened, we would be in a position where that would no longer be that viable option of a Palestinian state.”

She added that she understood “not everyone agrees with that decision” but insisted recognition was necessary to keep hopes for a two-state solution alive.