MPs unite in Gaza ceasefire call

David Miliband said the suffering in Gaza was acute

MPs from all parties have called for an end to the Gaza conflict as Parliament debated the crisis for the first time.

David Miliband reiterated government calls for an immediate ceasefire but said "fundamental issues" needed to be resolved before this could happen.

The foreign secretary said some aid was getting through to Gaza but not nearly enough to address the suffering there.

The Tories said the Gaza situation was "desperate" while the Lib Dems attacked Labour's reaction to the crisis.

Israel continued its offensive in Gaza on Monday amid reports that its forces were moving slowly into the Palestinian territory's most densely populated areas.

Leadership needed

Mr Miliband's statement to Parliament gave MPs their first opportunity to discuss the conflict since it began nearly two weeks ago.

Addressing the origins of the conflict, Mr Miliband said Hamas had triggered the violence by its "cruel choice" to mount rocket attacks into Israeli territory.

Peace benefits Israelis and Palestinians - war kills both David Miliband

He praised Israel as a "beacon of democracy" in the Middle East but said the country had to "show leadership" to work towards a durable political solution to the crisis.

"Peace benefits Israelis and Palestinians - war kills both," he said.

"They are destined to live next door to each other. They can either do so as combatants or as neighbours. We are committed to help them do the latter."

The foreign secretary said the government stood "four square" behind the UN resolution demanding a ceasefire, a resolution which has so far been ignored by both Hamas and Israel.

The three-hour daily pause in military operations agreed by Israel was a step forward but "deeply flawed" in terms of providing a safe environment for much-needed humanitarian assistance.

Talks between Hamas and Egypt about securing a ceasefire were proceeding with a "degree of urgency", Mr Miliband added, but he warned there were "fundamental issues to be overcome".

He acknowledged that "extremely serious" allegations had been made by organisations such as the Red Cross against both Hamas and Israel regarding their military conduct during the conflict.

"These allegations must be properly investigated," he said.

'Unacceptable'

For the Conservatives, shadow foreign secretary William Hague backed the government's call for an immediate ceasefire.

"Bringing the conflict to an end clearly requires a ceasefire on both sides," he told MPs.

He said the incoming US administration of Barack Obama must make the conflict a priority when it takes office in eight days time.

Hamas must also recognise that the international community would not treat it seriously until it renounced violence, he added.

For the Lib Dems, Ed Davey said the government's reaction to the conflict "seemed unbalanced" at times and described the extent of Israel's military might as "truly unacceptable".

He described Washington's decision not to back the UN ceasefire resolution - on which it abstained - as a "diplomatic disaster".

Mr Miliband said he would have preferred the US to have supported the resolution.

He added that progress in Middle East peace talks depended on "strong US engagement and leadership".