I AM sure that everyone can agree that the news coming from Israel and Gaza over the last month has been barbaric, to say the least.

The brutal terror attacks by Hamas that savagely took the lives of more than 1400 Israelis cannot be and will never be justifiable. It is estimated that Hamas still hold more than 200 Israeli citizens hostage, including children and elderly people. The repugnant way in which people are being forced to endure murder, torture and rape is incomprehensible.

There should be no place in the world for the atrocities that have been inflicted on innocent people. That is exactly why I am critical of the response from Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.

Two wrongs do not make a right.

Since the gruesome attacks that Hamas inflicted, the Israeli government have retaliated with air strikes on Gaza resulting in the death of more than 9000 people.

It should not need to be said, but my colleague, Stephen Flynn, put it best when he reminded us that “Hamas hide amongst, but are not, the Palestinian people.”

As if aerial bombardment by one of the most powerful military forces in the world isn’t bad enough, it was accompanied by the cutting off of all food, water, communications, electricity, medical supplies and fuel to Gaza. Thus leaving more than 2.3 million innocent people – some from our own shores – starving, dehydrated, and scared of what comes next.

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This is the definition of collective punishment. The world rightly condemns the actions of Hamas, but there appears to be a reluctance to condemn the indiscriminate retaliation of the Israeli government against the citizens of Palestine.

Of course, Israel has the right to defend itself from terror attacks, but it does not have the right to kill indiscriminately or remove any ability to survive for all those trapped in the crossfire.

It is for these reasons that the SNP have aptly called for an immediate ceasefire.

Led by Humza Yousaf, the Scottish Government has shown statesmanship in having a reasoned response in a horrific time. The humanity and leadership Humza has displayed on this issue, particularly when his loved ones are personally affected, shows the true character of the man.

When you contrast this with the response from both the Tory UK Government and the Labour opposition, it is grim. Both Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer have repeatedly refused to call for a ceasefire.

More than a third of Starmer’s Labour MPs, the Scottish Labour leader, and London’s Labour mayor have all called for a ceasefire. There are many Labour councillors and members calling for Starmer to resign over his stance on this.

The only principle Starmer seems to hold is a cast-iron commitment to copy whatever stance the Tories take on any issue.

Whether it is Sunak or wannabe prime-minister-in-waiting Starmer, the reality is that the UK is shamelessly failing in its duty to encourage a de-escalation and a peaceful resolution.

Ultimately, the only way to save innocent lives is an immediate ceasefire – the sooner the UK Government realises that the better.