Britain should push for Hamas's political wing to be proscribed as a terrorist organisation alongside its military arm, a Labour MP has argued.

Labour Friends of Israel vice-chair Michael McCann made the suggestion while leading a Westminster Hall debate on the UK's contribution to preventing further conflict in Gaza.

The government should "assess the increasing evidence that Hamas' political and military wings are contrapuntally linked," he said.

Middle East Minister Tobias Ellwood did not address Mr McCann's point, but said the government was "deeply concerned" about reports of Hamas's rearming and tunnel-building efforts.

The debate, initiated by LFI, also considered the possibility for international inspectors being sent to Gaza to oversee the destruction of weaponry.