Cameron gives major policy speech after Biden issues warning to Israel

Nato countries should agree to spend 2.5 per cent of GDP on defence, at an upcoming summit in Washington, the Foreign Secretary will urge on Thursday.

In his first major speech as Foreign Secretary, Lord Cameron will call on Britain and its allies to “out-compete, out-cooperate and out-innovate” their adversaries in an ongoing “battle of wills”.

It comes after US President Joe Biden warned that his country will stop some weapons shipments to Israel if Benjamin Netanyahu’s Government proceeds with its invasion of Rafah, in the south of the Gaza Strip, where it is estimated that over a million people are sheltering.

The World Health Organization says it has only three days of fuel for its medical operations in southern Gaza, with shortages already forcing one of three remaining hospitals in the city of Rafah to shut down.

The Rafah border crossing with Egypt has been closed since Israel’s military took control of the Palestinian side early Tuesday, blocking the entry of desperately needed humanitarian aid. The UN says northern Gaza is already in a state of “full-blown famine.”

Israel said it reopened Kerem Shalom crossing, the other main entry point for aid, on Wednesday. UN officials say no aid has entered Gaza, and there is no one to receive it on the Palestinian side because of ongoing fighting.

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