UK families: Hostage release not a factor in Palestinian recognition

LONDON – British families of hostages taken by Hamas say they have been told that the release of those still held would “play no part” in the U.K.’s plans to recognize Palestine and urged U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer to change course.

Starmer announced earlier this week that the United Kingdom would take the step of recognizing Palestine in September ahead of the U.N. General Assembly unless Israel meets certain conditions.

Members of four British families met with Foreign Office officials on Thursday night seeking clarification on whether conditions would also be placed on Hamas, their lawyers said in a statement.

“However, it was clear from the meeting last night that the British government’s policy will not help the hostages, and could even hurt them,” they said.

“We do not say this lightly, but it was made obvious to us at the meeting that although the conditions for recognizing a Palestinian state would be assessed ‘in the round’ in late-September, in deciding whether to go ahead with recognition, the release or otherwise of the hostages would play no part in those considerations.”

“In other words, the ‘vision for peace’ which the U.K. is pursuing … may well involve our clients’ family members continuing to rot in Hamas dungeons.”

The prime minister had said Britain would only refrain from recognizing Palestine if Israel allows more aid into Gaza, stops annexing land in the West Bank, agrees to a ceasefire, and signs up to a long-term peace process over the next two months.

While he also called for the Palestinian Islamist Hamas to immediately release all remaining Israeli hostages, sign up to a ceasefire, disarm and “accept that they will play no part in the government of Gaza,” he did not explicitly say these would factor into whether recognition would go ahead.

A government spokesperson said on Friday the U.K.’s demands on Hamas have not changed and the assessment the U.K. will make on recognition ahead of the U.N. General Assembly in September will look at “how far both Israel and Hamas have met the steps we set out.”

The families have a range of views on what the future political settlement should look like but their priority is to keep the hostages “above political games,” their lawyers said.

They are now urging the prime minister to “change course before it is too late.”

“At a minimum, the British hostage families request that the government confirm that without the hostages being released, there can be no peace, and that this will be an important part of its decision as to whether to proceed with recognition and its current plan.”

Starmer said he “particularly” listens to hostages after criticism of his plans from Emily Damari, a British-Israeli who was held captive by Hamas.

The families of Damari and freed hostage Eli Sharabi were among those who met with the Foreign Office.

Also present were relatives of Nadav Popplewell, who died while held captive, as well as those of Oded Lifshitz, who died, and Yocheved Lifschitz, who was released.

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has said the U.K. will not get into a “to and fro” with Hamas over the recognition plans and that “we don’t negotiate with terrorists, Hamas are terrorists.”

President Donald Trump disagrees with Starmer’s plans, as well as those of France and Canada, which have also pledged their countries will recognize Palestine.

“He feels as though that’s rewarding Hamas at a time where Hamas is the true impediment to a ceasefire and to the release of all of the hostages,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

A government spokesperson said: “We have announced our intention to recognize Palestine in September to protect the viability of the two-state solution. The first step in that process must be a ceasefire and there is no question about that.

“Our demands on Hamas have not changed. For there to be any chance of peace, the hostages must be released. Hamas must lay down its weapons and commit to having no future role in the governance of Gaza.

“We must also see significant progress on the ground including the supply of humanitarian support and for Israel to rule out annexations in the West Bank, and a commitment to a long-term sustainable peace.

“We will make an assessment ahead of UNGA (U.N. General Assembly) on how far both Israel and Hamas have met the steps we set out. No one side will have a veto on recognition through their actions or inactions.”