Stephen Flynn has written to Rishi Sunak, Sir Keir Starmer, and Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle, calling for an immediate recall of Parliament over the deaths of UK citizens in Gaza.
Aid organisation World Central Kitchen (WCK) confirmed British victims John Chapman, 57, James “Jim” Henderson, 33, and James Kirby, 47, who were working for the charity’s security team, were among seven of its staff killed when their convoy was struck after unloading food in Gaza.
The incident has prompted condemnation from the UK and its allies.
Lord Peter Ricketts, a former senior diplomat who chaired the Joint Intelligence Committee during the Blair government, said Israeli forces’ killing of the aid workers has sparked “global outrage” as he called for an “immediate ceasefire”.
The crossbench peer, who served as national security adviser between 2010 and 2012, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I think there is abundant evidence now that Israel hasn’t been taking enough care to fulfil its obligations on the safety of civilians, and a country that gets arms from the UK has to comply with international humanitarian law, that is a condition of the arms export licensing policy.
“I think the time has come to send that signal.
“It won’t change the course of the war. It would be a powerful political message, and it might just stimulate debate in the US as well, which would be the real game-changer, if the Americans began to think about putting limits, restrictions on the use of American weapons in Israel.”
He added: “Sometimes in conflict, you get a moment where there’s such global outrage that it crystalises a sense that things can’t go on like this.
“I think – I hope – that this awful incident will serve that purpose.”
The peer said a failure by Israel to respond appropriately and show aid workers they are able to deliver supplies to areas of conflict should prompt “further steps to increase the pressure on (Israeli prime minister) Netanyahu”, including the UK no longer supplying the country with arms.
He called for “an immediate ceasefire for an extended period to open up the borders and make it safe to get aid in for those delivering it and those receiving it”, adding this could also help secure the release of hostages held by Hamas.
Liberal Democrat Leader Sir Ed Davey said ministers should “take swift action to suspend arms exports to Israel”, while the SNP’s Westminster leader, Stephen Flynn has demanded Parliament be recalled.
In a letter addressed to Sunak, Starmer and Hoyle, he wrote: “This situation demands that the Prime Minister comes to Parliament without further delay to outline the UK Government’s response to the killing of UK citizens by Israel, to enable MPs to scrutinise the UK Government’s response, and so that Parliament can finally debate and vote on ending arms sales to Israel.”
Related: ‘It could’ve been ours that killed them’: Calls for halt of arms sales to Israel grow
