Rishi Sunak questions whether ‘pause’ in Gaza fighting is even possible

LONDON — Rishi Sunak has said Britain will do “everything we can” to get aid into stricken Gaza — but warned any pause in fighting may be impossible to arrange.

Speaking to POLITICO’s Power Play podcast, the U.K. prime minister said he had spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday about “the concept of humanitarian pauses” to allow aid to enter Gaza via the Mediterranean.

But Sunak added the strategy was not without risks.

“It’s hard to have completely reliable conversations with Hamas when you’re dealing with a terrorist organization, which is obviously present on the ground,” he told host Anne McElvoy.

Sunak’s statement comes after the first British nationals crossed the Rafah border crossing from Gaza into Egypt, following days of uncertainty about when foreign nationals would be able to leave the embattled territory.

Sunak added: “I remain cautiously optimistic that the flow of aid should and will increase across the Rafah crossing.”

Israel, which controls Gaza’s air, land and sea borders, imposed a “complete siege” on the territory in early October after an attack by Hamas. In doing so it cut off fuel, water and electricity — and stopped aid delivery of food and medicine — to 2.2 million people.

The majority of Gaza’s residents rely on humanitarian assistance, and before the Israel-Hamas war hundreds of aid trucks crossed into Gaza daily. Since the outbreak of hostilities, however, only dozens have been allowed across the border.

You can hear the full interview with Rishi Sunak here.