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The UK could be complicit in war crimes in Gaza and could face legal action if it does not do more to “restrain” Israel, Tory MP Crispin Blunt has warned.

The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) – of which Mr Blunt is co-director – announced it has written a notice of intention to prosecute UK government officials for “aiding and abetting war crimes in Gaza”.

The move comes in response to Israel’s warning for 1.2 million people living in the northern part of the Gaza Strip to immediately leave their homes and move south.

Israel launches first ground missions in Gaza – Israel-Hamas war latest

Mr Blunt told Sky News he is “not sure [his] colleagues have grasped the legal peril they are in” and “everyone must act to restrain people” if they know war crimes are going to happen.

“If you know that a party is going to commit a war crime – and this forcible transfer of people is a precise breach of one of the statutes that governs international law and all states in this area – then you are making yourself complicit,” he said.

“And as international law has developed in this area, the fact of being complicit makes you equally guilty to the party carrying out the crime.”

More on Israel

In response, the Foreign Office said on Saturday that Israel has a “right to defend itself”, but added the country should take “all possible measures to protect ordinary Palestinians and facilitate humanitarian aid”.

The Israeli Defence Force has ordered 1.1 million people currently north of the Wadi Gaza bridge to move south
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The Israeli Defence Force has ordered 1.1 million people currently north of the Wadi Gaza bridge to move south

Palestinian ‘children killed’

Israel continues to pound densely-populated Gaza despite warnings over civilian casualties – with authorities saying 1,900 Palestinians, including 583 children, have been killed.

Israel appears to be gearing up for a ground offensive in response to a violent attack launched by Hamas a week ago, during which hundreds of civilians and soldiers were killed and more than 100 people taken hostage.

The Israelis have also blocked the entry of goods into Gaza – which is home to 2.3 million people – and cut off electricity, leaving emergency services dangerously low on fuel.

And with the Egyptian border still closed and no humanitarian corridor agreed, Gazans can only flee further south through two main roads.

‘Where does this lead?’

“Of course our hearts all go out to the state of Israel and the people there for the appalling atrocity committed,” Mr Blunt said.

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The Israeli army has ordered people to leave the north of Gaza within 24 hours, with a possible ground offensive looming.

“But what we’re not allowed is witness one crime being piled on with another, which is going to make the situation worse but is also fundamentally wrong.”

He added Israel has “had a deal of exceptionalism and impunity from international law for a very long time now” and urged the UK to back UN calls for a ceasefire and lifting the total blockade.

“This has got to stop,” Mr Crispin said. “If in response to the atrocity of last Saturday is an illegal atrocity that is even worse in scale – where does this lead?”

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Asked about the evacuation call, Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner told Sky News “people are adhering and listening”.

“We are continuing to increase our activities,” he said, adding it is important to “remember where we were just one week ago”.

“We were in the midst of this massacre taking place in our towns and we are determined to make sure this never happens again. Our mission now is to strike Hamas wherever they are.”

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Sky’s Defence and Security editor, Deborah Haynes, has visited the Be’eri kibbutz, close to Gaza, where more than 100 people were killed by Hamas, as devastated families still hope for the safe return of those who went missing.

Questioned on whether Israel should rethink the policy to evacuate people in such a short space of time, he added the IDF was “determined [to end] Hamas’s capabilities and safeguard the people of Israel”.

Britain’s position ‘bringing flamethrower’ to situation

As Downing Street remains steadfast in its support for Israel, the UK’s political leaders have been accused of giving Israel the green light to attack Hamas without regard to international law.

Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, criticised the UK government for giving Israel a “carte blanche” by asserting it “has the right to defend itself”.

She told Sky News on Thursday: “[The UK has] already given Israel carte blanche to do whatever it pleases, because look at the annexation that has been announced officially this year of large swathes of the West Bank.”

“Has anyone reacted to this? Not that I know of, other than in words and half-mouthed condemnations here and there.”

Daniel Levy, a former negotiator for Israel under the Labour government of Ehud Barak, accused Britain of “rather than bringing a fire extinguisher, bringing a flamethrower” to the situation so far.

He told Sky News last week there was a “missing part of the sentence, in ‘Israel has the right to defend itself – while respecting international law, international humanitarian law, laws of war and otherwise’.”

A spokesperson for the Foreign Office said Israel suffered a “shockingly brutal terrorist attack” and that only Hamas is “responsible for the conflict”.

“We support Israel’s right to defend itself and to take action against terrorism. Unlike Hamas, Israeli President Herzog has said their armed forces will operate in accordance with international law,” they said.

“Given that Hamas has embedded itself in the civilian population in Gaza, it’s important that Israel takes all possible measures to protect ordinary Palestinians and facilitate humanitarian aid.”

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Compensation scheme for infected blood scandal widened

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Compensation scheme for infected blood scandal widened

More victims of the infected blood scandal will qualify for compensation while others will get higher awards under changes to the scheme.

The new rules mean estates of affected people who have already died will be able to claim payments.

As well as this, around 1,000 people who are already eligible will be able to claim a higher amount, including chronic Hepatitis C individuals.

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The reforms are being introduced following 16 recommendations from the Infected Blood Inquiry, which published an additional report earlier this month.

Confirming the changes, minister for the Cabinet Office Nick Thomas-Symonds said the government has “concentrated on removing barriers to quicker compensation”.

More on Infected Blood Inquiry

He added: “Our focus as we move forward must be working together to not only deliver justice to all those impacted, but also to restore trust in the state to people who have been let down too many times.”

Between the 1970s and early 1990s, more than 30,000 people in the UK were infected with HIV and hepatitis C while receiving NHS care.

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Infected blood scandal explained

Some 3,000 people have died after they were given contaminated blood and blood products, while survivors live with lifelong implications.

In last October’s Budget, Chancellor Rachel Reeves committed £11.8bn to compensate victims of the infected blood scandal, with the scheme opening at the end of last year.

The changes will ensure that those who endured treatments with adverse side effects, such as interferon, will receive higher compensation to what is currently provided.

Extraordinary intervention forces govt to act

The government will now hope its response to Sir Brian Langstaff’s criticism will be enough to convince the Infected Blood chair – and more importantly those infected and affected by this scandal – is listening and acting with urgency.

The long-awaited report was published in May 2024. It was an afternoon charged with raw emotion. After decades of being lied to, ignored and gaslit, finally the infected blood community had found its champion. Someone who understood their pain and suffering.

Sir Brian called on the government to deliver compensation quickly, knowing that many were dying before seeing justice delivered.

But Sir Brian was not himself convinced. Even after the publication of the report he kept the Inquiry open.

This is unprecedented. It showed that he feared there would be more stalling and further delays to payments. He was, sadly, proved right.

It took an extraordinary intervention from Sir Brian last month to push the government to respond. It says it will implement all of the Inquiry’s latest recommendations, some immediately and the rest after further consultation with the community.

More people will now qualify for payment and others will get more compensation.

And importantly the claims of victims will not die with them but instead can now be passed on to surviving family members. All hugely important revisions.

The government says it understands the urgency. But it will also know it should not have taken an unprecedented intervention to force the issue.

Higher compensation will also be available for the impacts currently recognised by the Infected Blood Support Scheme ‘Special Category Mechanism’ (SCM), which is provided to chronic Hepatitis C individuals who have experienced a significant impact on their ability to carry out daily duties.

The government said the changes mean that over a thousand people will receive a higher amount than they would have under the existing scheme.

Scheme widened to estates of deceased affected people

The scheme will also be widened to some people who don’t currently qualify.

Under the current mechanism, if someone who was infected dies before receiving full compensation, then any final award can be passed on to their relatives through their estate.

However while compensation is also available to family members affected by the scandal – a partner, sibling or parent of someone who was infected, for example, this claim dies with them if they pass away.

The changes announced today mean that if the affected person has died after May 21st 2024, or dies in future before receiving compensation, their estate will be able to make a claim.

Memorial plans announced

The government also announced that Clive Smith, president of the Haemophilia Society, will be the chair of the new Infected Blood Memorial Committee.

The project will include plans for a UK memorial and support memorials in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

In line with the Infected Blood Inquiry’s recommendation, the committee will also develop plans for commemorative events and is planning to hold the first by the end of 2025.

Mr Smith said the memorial is “long overdue”.

He added: “It is a great privilege to be asked to lead this important work on behalf of the community.

“I am conscious that we are already behind in relation to implementing the Infected Blood Inquiry’s recommendation that community events be held on a six-month basis post the Inquiry reporting. We intend to correct that by the end of this year.

“I look forward to working with the whole community across the UK on building an appropriate memorial to those we have lost and to act as a lasting memorial to the nation of what can happen when patient safety is not prioritised.”

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Progressives are losing the crypto future

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Progressives are losing the crypto future

Progressives are losing the crypto future

As US conservatives rapidly shape the crypto landscape through policy, funding and grassroots adoption, progressives remain divided and hesitant. Progressives lack a unified strategy and risk losing relevance.

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Stablecoin or CBDC? Tether’s latest freeze adds fuel to decentralization debate

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Stablecoin or CBDC? Tether’s latest freeze adds fuel to decentralization debate

Stablecoin or CBDC? Tether’s latest freeze adds fuel to decentralization debate

Following its latest freeze of nearly $86K in stolen USDt, Tether’s enforcement capabilities are again in the spotlight — raising questions about centralized control in stablecoin ecosystems.

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