Eastwood urges full probe of ‘detention, killings, rape’ allegations and calls for immediate Gaza ceasefire

He said the British Government has a responsibility to take allegations of ‘gross human rights abuses’ seriously.

The SDLP leader was set to vote in support of a Scottish National Party (SNP) motion in the British House of Commons on Wednesday that called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and an end to the ‘collective punishment’ of the Palestinian people.

MPs discussed fears of a humanitarian catastrophe should the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) proceed with a threatened military invasion of Rafah city where 1.5 million displaced Palestinians are sheltering.

The SNP motion, which referred to the ‘collective punishment’ of Palestinians, did not go to a vote however.

Instead a Labour amendment calling for ‘immediate humanitarian ceasefire’ that ‘lasts and is observed by all sides’ was moved prompting the SNP to walk out.

Speaking during the debate Mr. Eastwood said: "On Monday, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights released a statement saying that UN experts had uncovered that Israeli forces in Gaza and the west bank are being accused of egregious human rights abuses, including arbitrary detention, extrajudicial killings and sexual violence, including rape.

“The Israeli Government, of course, have dismissed this without any investigation. Does [he] agree that this Government should be pushing hard for a proper investigation for people to be held to account for these kinds of gross human rights abuses?” he asked SNP MP Brendan O’Hara from Foyle’s neighbouring constituency of Argyll and Bute.

Mr. O’Hara, who moved the SNP motion, replied: “I absolutely agree...it is vital to say that, whether it is a perceived ally or a perceived foe, an egregious breach of human rights is an egregious breach of human rights and should be taken as exactly that and investigated without fear or favour.”

Later in the debate Mr. Eastwood said he believed there was ‘more cohesion in this House today than we are showing the public’ but said demands for a ‘permanent’ rather than ‘immediate’ ceasefire were unhelpful.

"There are still some people in this House who are demanding that a ceasefire has to be permanent. I do not like making a comparison to our own peace process, but the basic principles are the same.

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"We cannot guarantee the permanence of a ceasefire: we work for a ceasefire and then work to make it permanent, so some people’s bar is too high. If they listen to what the public are saying and watch the TV screens, people are dying today.

"We have to call for an immediate ceasefire right now, and I thank the right hon. Member for taking that position. I encourage all Members to support any opportunity to vote for an immediate ceasefire tonight,” he said.

The SNP motion that did not go to a vote called for ‘an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Israel’; condemned ‘any military assault on what is now the largest refugee camp in the world’; and called for ‘the immediate release of all hostages taken by Hamas and an end to the collective punishment of the Palestinian people’.

Labour’s amendment called for a ceasefire that ‘lasts and is observed by all sides’.

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