We cannot walk away from Gaza

THE world cannot walk away and leave Gaza as a “no man's land” hovering between peace and war, the Foreign Secretary has said.

- BY LIZZY BUCHAN

Yvette Cooper urged Israel and Hamas to maintain the ceasefire, which is being tested by fresh clashes.

Israeli air strikes reportedly killed more than 100 people in Gaza this week and Israel's government has accused Hamas of firing on its soldiers in Rafah, killing one.

Tensions have spiralled over the return of the Israeli hostages’ bodies.

Ms Cooper, on her first trip to the Middle East as Foreign Secretary, called on Israel to let more aid into the war-ravaged Gaza strip.

She said world leaders must push on with the next phase of the peace plan, brokered by Donald Trump, along with Qatar, Egypt and Turkey.

Speaking at the Manama Dialogue security summit in Bahrain, Ms Cooper said: “If we don't make progress, then Gaza will risk being stuck in a kind of no man’s land between peace and war. Although the ceasefire may hold, we've still got so much more progress to be made.

“Now is not the time for countries to walk away.”

She wants restrictions on aid lifted, border crossings opened and vital help to be rushed in.