Bethlehem – Ma'an – Sixty Members of Parliament from the UK Labour Party have signed a public letter calling on the British government to immediately recognize the State of Palestine, while accusing Israel of carrying out "ethnic cleansing" in the Gaza Strip.

The letter states that the Israeli defense minister’s plan to relocate Palestinian civilians to a so-called "humanitarian city" in Rafah is part of what the Labour MPs described as an "operational plan to commit crimes against humanity."

Quoting Israeli human rights attorney Michael Sfard, a critic of the government's policy, the MPs wrote that the plan constitutes a "mass expulsion." They added:

"While that is an accurate description, there is an even more precise term — ethnic cleansing of Gaza."

The signatories also called on Foreign Secretary David Lammy to "take immediate steps" to prevent what they warned could become the forced displacement of Gaza's population.

"We write to you with urgency and deep concern," they wrote, warning of the consequences if Israeli actions continue unchecked.

This initiative coincided with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, who also expressed "deep concern" about the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

The Labour MPs argued that continued failure to recognize a Palestinian state undermines the two-state solution, claiming that such hesitation perpetuates the Israeli occupation and encourages the de facto annexation of Palestinian territories.

In response, a spokesperson for the British Foreign Office reiterated:

"The UK is committed to recognizing a Palestinian state and will do so when it best serves the cause of peace."