Britons trapped in Gaza will be supported, vows foreign secretary, in face of escape route difficulties
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has insisted the UK will maintain support for Britons trapped in Gaza, as he said it was proving “incredibly difficult” to open the Rafah border crossing into Egypt.
Speaking to Sky News’ Trevor Phillips On Sunday Morning programme, the cabinet minister also said that 10 was “not an unreasonable estimate” for the number of British hostages held by Hamas.
And Mr Cleverly warned protesters who displayed support for the militant group, designated a terror organisation in the UK, did not help the Palestinian people.
He made his comments against the backdrop of the current Israel-Hamas war.
The conflict, which was sparked by the militant group launching a deadly assault from Gaza on Israel, has claimed thousands of lives on both sides.
Israeli forces have retaliated with airstrikes and ordered residents to evacuate to the south of the besieged enclave ahead of an imminent offensive to dismantle the insurgent network.
The US has been trying to broker a deal to reopen Egypt’s Rafah crossing with Gaza to allow foreigners to leave and humanitarian aid to be taken in.
The border was closed because of airstrikes early in the war.
Both Egypt and Jordan, which is next to the Israeli-occupied West Bank, have also expressed concern about Palestinians being forced off their land where they want to build a future state.
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‘Were you afraid when you had to run for cover?’
On establishing a safe route out of Gaza for British citizens stuck in the territory, Mr Cleverly said: “I’ve spoken on a number of occasions with my Egyptian counterpart.
“We stay in very close coordination with the United States of America, with other friends in the region and of course with the Israeli government trying to coordinate a time window when the Rafah crossing can be opened so that people can leave.
“That is proving incredibly difficult. So I’m not able to say with any certainty when that crossing may be open.”
He added: “This is very important for the British nationals in Gaza.
“We continue to support them, we continue to update them as much as we can through, text messaging and whatever other means is available.
“So we will keep supporting the British nationals in Gaza and we will keep working with the US, with the Israelis and others to try and bring this crossing into use.”
When pressed over whether the number of UK nationals being held captive by Hamas was 10, Mr Cleverly was reluctant to be drawn as the situation remained uncertain, but said: “That is not an unreasonable estimate of the kind of number of people that we’re talking about.”
He also warned people against glorifying terrorism, after major marches across the UK in support of the Palestinian cause where some people in attendance appeared to openly support Hamas.
Mr Cleverly said: “The point is about whether arrests may happen at all or whether they happen at the event or after the event. So I’m not going to drift into operational policing.
“I would remind people that being passionate about a better life for the Palestinian people is a passion that I share and indeed shared by Government.
“However, glorifying murder and terrorism is no benefit to the Palestinian people, just as Hamas are not friend to the Palestinian people.”
Paedophile Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins has died after being attacked in prison.
Watkins, 48, was serving a 29-year jail term for multiple sexual offences, including serious crimes against young children and babies at HMP Wakefield, in West Yorkshire.
He was attacked with a knife by another inmate on Saturday morning, sources have confirmed.
West Yorkshire Police said two men, aged 25 and 43, have been arrested on suspicion of murder.
A police van outside Wakefield prison. Pic: YappApp
Watkins was pronounced dead at the scene after prison staff reported the assault to police.
The prison went into lockdown in the immediate aftermath of the incident, sources added.
A Prison Service spokesperson said they could not comment while the police investigate.
Watkins was previously stabbed in an incident at the same prison in 2023, suffering non life-threatening injuries after he was reportedly taken hostage by three other inmates before being freed by prison officers six hours later.
He was sentenced in December 2013 to 29 years in prison, with a further six years on licence, after admitting 13 sex offences, including the attempted rape of a fan’s baby.
Watkins performing in 2004. Pic: PA
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He also encouraged a second fan to abuse her child during a webcam chat and secretly stashed child sexual abuse videos, some of which he had made himself.
At the time, police described him as a “committed, organised paedophile”.
Having found fame in Welsh rock band Lostprophets, Watkins was arrested after his Pontypridd home was searched on orders of a drug warrant in September 2012.
A large number of computers, mobile phones and storage devices were seized during the search.
When sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court, the singer was told he was being given an extended sentence – and a judge said his crimes “plumbed new depths of depravity”.
After being caught with a mobile phone behind bars in 2019, he told a court that he was locked up with “murderers, mass murderers, rapists, paedophiles, serial killers – the worst of the worst”.
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