It is as bad as we have ever seen it. 

Scenes of starvation and the attacks on desperate civilians seeking aid are barbaric, and it scarcely needs saying that the flow of aid needs to be massively scaled up immediately. 

Netanyahu’s proposal of full reoccupation of Gaza is utterly abhorrent and his goal of ethnic cleansing is plain to see. 

The UK must take stronger action, and the Liberal Democrats would use all tools to pressure the Israelis to end the horrific aid blockade, allow the aid trucks in, and end the attacks on Gazan civilians. All 72 of our MPs backed this strong and wide-ranging motion  tabled by Ed Davey in parliament, and a recent letter to the Prime Minister. 

Layla also continues to work across the aisle on this issue, such as this open letter written jointly with Alex Sobel, the Labour MP of Israeli descent. This is beyond party politics. 

We have also raised concerns around the proscription of Palestine Action, and the arrests of hundreds of peaceful protestors.

Those working to provide aid and medical assistance make a great sacrifice in terrible circumstances, and Layla has tabled a motion in parliament supported by 68 other MPs, recognising those who do so, with constituents among them. 

There should be a reckoning, starting with sanctioning Netanyahu and members of his extremist government. We await the outcome of the ongoing case of genocide brought against Israel in the International Court of Justice.

We must also take action to enable a long term resolution to this conflict. 

Every year since first being elected in 2017, Layla has tabled a bill in Parliament calling for the recognition of the State of Palestine. There is no better time than now. Palestinian PM Mohammad Mustafa said as much when he visited Parliament in June. Ed Davey and the Liberal Democrats continue to call for such a move. While we are glad that Keir Starmer has raised the prospect of this occurring in September, it should be unconditional. 

The abject failure of the international community to prevent the atrocities we are witnessing calls into question the international rule-based order we built from the ashes of WW2. The US is no longer willing to uphold international law, and our institutions and structures have shown they are not longer fit for purpose. It is incumbent upon the UK among others to fill this void and step up on the global stage. 

As individuals we must not forget this time when Palestine stops being front page news, and must keep pushing. For a settlement, a two state solution, and peace. Continue to use your voice to keep the spotlight on Palestine, and maintain the pressure for action to ensure the horrors currently unfolding in Gaza never happen again.