7 October anniversary: ‘We must stand with the Jewish community,’ UK PM asserts
Britain's Labour Party Prime Minister Kier Starmer makes speech outside 10 Downing Street in London, Friday, July 5, 2024. Labour leader Keir Starmer won the general election on July 4, and was appointed Prime Minster by King Charles III at Buckingham Palace, after the party won a landslide victory. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has made a strong statement, calling for unwavering support for the Jewish community as he commemorates the first anniversary of the devastating Hamas attacks on Israel.
Sir Keir Starmer noted that October 7, 2023, will be remembered as “the darkest day in Jewish history since the Holocaust” and acknowledged that the collective grief remains profound even a year later.
The anniversary is particularly emotional, given the escalating violence in the Middle East. The situation in Lebanon is especially dire, with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office urging British nationals to leave the country immediately due to the heightened risks.
Also Read: UN humanitarian agency breaks silence on ‘one year of unimaginable suffering’ in Gaza
The UK government has also strengthened its support for citizens in Lebanon, deploying additional staff and resources to aid those seeking to depart.
“Men, women, children and babies killed, mutilated, and tortured by the terrorists of Hamas,” Sir Keir said.
“Jewish people murdered whilst protecting their families, young people massacred at a music festival, people abducted from their homes.
“As a father, a husband, a son, a brother, meeting the families of those who lost their loved ones last week was unimaginable.
“Their grief and pain are ours, and it is shared in homes across the land.
“A year on, that collective grief has not diminished or waned.”
