Under-pressure Keir Starmer will beg for Labour unity over Israel’s bloody assault on Gaza in speech today as he faces down demands for an immediate ceasefire because it would only help Hamas

• He will make a speech calling on global leaders to work towards restoring peace 

Under-pressure Keir Starmer will make a plea for Labour unity over Gaza today – but refuse to yield to high-profile demands that he back a total ceasefire.

The Labour leader will make a speech this morning calling on global leaders to work towards restoring peace in the Middle East amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

But Sir Keir will defend Labour’s calls for only a limited humanitarian pause to allow Palestinians to flee the fighting, and for aid to be distributed.

He is expected to dismiss calls from senior figures including the Labour mayors of London and Greater Manchester, Sadiq Khan and Andy Burnham, and an increasing number of his frontbenchers for a permanent ceasefire.

He will warn that such a move, before Israel has rescued hostages held by Hamas for weeks and destroyed the terrorist group, would risk sparking more violence in Israel and Palestine as the Iran-backed group rearms and recovers.

Labour shadow minister Sir Chris Bryant today told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: ‘How could you have a ceasefire with Hamas who have no intention of laying down their weapons and haven’t even said that they will return the hostages?’

But Sir Keir has also stopped short of taking disciplinary action against frontbenchers calling for a ceasefire – in contract to the Tories, where ministerial aide Paul Bristow was sacked last night for backing an end to the bloody fighting. 

The Labour leader will make a speech this morning calling on global leaders to work towards restoring peace in the Middle East amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

But Sir Keir will defend Labour’s calls for only a limited humanitarian pause to allow Palestinians to flee the fighting, and for aid to be distributed.

Middlesbrough MP Andy McDonald has meanwhile been suspended by Labour, after what a party spokesman said were ‘deeply offensive’ remarks made at a speech during a pro-Palestine rally.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ruled out a ceasefire in Gaza, declaring a ‘time for war’ amid continuing calls for a humanitarian pause in the conflict from the UK and other allies.

UK political leaders including PM Rishi Sunak have called for the pause in the fighting to allow Palestinians to flee Gaza and for aid to be distributed.

Similar appeals have been made by the USA and other countries, but Mr Netanyahu told Israel’s allies it would not heed calls for ceasefire.

‘The Bible says that there is a time for peace and a time for war. This is a time for war,’ he said in a press conference, claiming that laying down arms would be akin to America doing the same after the 9/11 attacks.

Middlesbrough MP Andy McDonald has meanwhile been suspended by Labour, after what a party spokesman said were ‘deeply offensive’ remarks made at a speech during a pro-Palestine rally.

Mr McDonald said his reference to the phrase ‘between the river and the sea’ was part of a ‘heartfelt plea’ for peace in the region.

A slogan used by pro-Palestinian demonstrators, ‘from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’, has been described as antisemitic by critics, with Home Secretary Suella Braverman claiming that it is ‘widely understood’ to call for the destruction of Israel.

Mr McDonald, now sitting as an independent, said he would fully co-operate with the investigation into his suspension and trusted ‘that the whip will be restored’.

Sir Keir He is expected to say that a permanent ceasefire at this stage could leave Hamas with the capability to carry out further attacks in Israel.

Sir Chris admitted people in his party are ‘being pulled in many different directions’ over the conflict in Israel and Gaza.

The shadow minister for creative industries and digital told Sky News’ Kay Burley that Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer will be calling in a speech today for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process to be brought ‘back on track’.

He added that it is incumbent on all politicians ‘to be very careful about their language’ in regard to the conflict.

Sir Chris earlier told Times Radio that he will personally not use the controversial phrase ‘from the river to the sea’ that has been heard at protests.

Writing for the Independent , Mr Burnham, who has long been linked with a pitch for Sir Keir’s job, denied being ‘opportunistic’, saying he had learned from the aftermath of terror attacks in New York in 2001, London in 2005 and Manchester in 2017.

He joined his London counterpart Sadiq Khan (right)and Scottish party leader Anas Sawar (left) in supporting an end to the fighting that has claimed thousands of lives.

In a statement also signed by deputy mayor Kate Green – a former Labour frontbencher – and 10 leaders of Manchester councils, Mr Burnham called for a ceasefire by both sides.

Humanitarian pauses typically last for short periods of time with the aim of providing aid and support rather than achieving long-term political solutions, according to the United Nations.

Ceasefires are intended to be long-term and usually seek to allow parties to engage in talks, including the possibility of reaching a permanent political settlement.

Shadow ministers Yasmin Qureshi, Jess Phillips, and Imran Hussain are among the figures who have joined calls for an end to the fighting.

Labour has also been at odds over its stance on Israel with devolved mayors like Mr Burnham and Mr Khan, and with Labour-led councils across England.

Yesterday the Greater Manchester mayor warned Sir Keir not to label senior Labour politicians ‘disloyal’.

The Prime Minister removed Peterborough MP Paul Bristow from his Government role for rebelling against his stance on the Middle East crisis

Mr Bristow, who was elected MP for Peterborough at the 2019 general election, wrote on Facebook last week: ‘We need a ceasefire.’

Writing for the Independent, Mr Burnham, who has long been linked with a pitch for Sir Keir’s job, denied being ‘opportunistic’, saying he had learned from the aftermath of terror attacks in New York in 2001, London in 2005 and Manchester in 2017.

‘In times like this, it is simply not possible quickly to arrive at a clear party line,’ he said.  ‘MPs’ feelings will change daily as they react to events, balance views of constituents and try to formulate a settled view. Let’s not brand them as disloyal or as if they don’t care about innocent lives.’

The two mayors and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar are among those who have broken ranks to call for an end to fighting. 

There were also claims over the weekend that shadow justice secretary Shabana Mahmood is privately unhappy. Dozens of councillors have also resigned in protest. 

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