Herzog to warn Starmer against ‘echoing Hamas propaganda’

"He will also warn against the echoing of Hamas’s propaganda campaign claiming starvation in Gaza – while 48 hostages continue to be held in brutal captivity.”

Starmer has previously referred to the humanitarian situation in Gaza as a “man-made famine”, blaming Israel for instances of malnutrition in the Strip.

And, just today, the prime minister condemned Israel’s strike against Hamas leadership in Doha as a violation of Qatar’s sovereignty, offering “support and solidarity” to the Gulf emirate at PMQs.

"In the meeting, the president will stress that any move to recognise a Palestinian state at this time would constitute a reward for terror and risk undermining efforts to secure the release of the hostages and to bring the war to an end,” the spokesperson continued.

They also confirmed that Herzog would “emphasise that Israel’s determined struggle against the Iranian empire of evil” and “stress that the free world, including the UK, must not cave into pressure from extremist groups".

And he will “make clear that sanctions against the State of Israel and against its leaders and citizens are unacceptable — especially between nations that share so much in common”.

The UK has imposed sanctions, including entry bans, against far-right ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir over their alleged “incitement” against Palestinians in the West Bank. However, the Foreign Office has stressed that the pair were sanctioned in their personal capacity and not in their roles as government ministers.

It comes after Herzog gave a briefing to British media this morning, during which he insisted that the Qatar strike was designed to bring about an end to the war.

"We targeted those who refused to accept the deal – primarily Khalil al-Hayya, who was the head of Hamas,” said the president.

"He kept on being the objector. He refused adamantly to get to a deal. He kept on saying ‘no’, or ‘yes, but’ – and the ‘but’ was impossible to overcome.

"His conditions could never be met. He was one of the instigators and perpetrators of October 7, and I guess the Americans can confirm it.”

Al-Hayya was initially reported to have been killed in the strike, but Israeli officials have since suggested that this may not be the case. However, his son, Himam, and Jihad Labad, the director of his office, have been confirmed as being among the six people killed.