More than 150 British food and drink leaders have demanded prime minister Keir Starmer does more to pressurise Israel to “end the starvation of the people of Gaza”.
With the humanitarian situation in the territory rapidly escalating to famine-like conditions this week, Starmer announced a major policy shift on Tuesday, warning Israel the British government would officially recognise a Palestinian state in September – unless it agreed to a ceasefire and “committed to a long-term, sustainable peace, reviving the prospect of a two-state solution”.
The move followed a similar announcement by France last week, while Canada’s prime minister Mark Carney confirmed it would also recognise Palestinian statehood yesterday.
But despite this renewed diplomatic pressure on Israel to “end the siege” – which has so far been firmly rejected by its leadership – an open letter to Starmer from a slew of food and drink brands warned he needed to go much further.
Sent to the PM, his foreign secretary David Lammy and all MPs earlier today, the open letter was co-ordinated by Pip & Nut CEO Pippa Murray.
Urgent action needed
While a significant intervention on the Gaza crisis, the letter warned that Starmer’s gesture fell “far short of the urgent action needed to stop a worsening man-made famine”, citing UN data that states nearly 59,000 civilians, including 18,000 children, had been killed in Gaza since Israel’s war on the territory began in the wake of Hamas’ attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023.
Of that figure, some 758 people had died seeking food supplies since 27 May, with reports coming in overnight of more than 50 Palestinians killed in an incident around aid lorries in Gaza City. The Israeli military said troops had fired “warning shots” but that it was “not aware of any casualties”, the BBC reported today.
“The worst fear of any parent is not just watching their child go hungry, but watching them die from starvation,” read the letter, signed by senior executives at companies ranging from Co-op (which announced a boycott of Israeli goods in June) to This, Bol Foods, Proper Snacks, Dalston’s, Lucky Saint, Better Nature, Minor Figures, Trip, Cawston Press, Dash Water, The Collective, Kendamil and many more.
“That nightmare is playing out in Gaza today, where infants lie so weak they can barely raise their heads,” it added.
Read more: Will others follow Co-op in dropping Israeli produce?
“As food and drink brands dedicated to feeding communities, we cannot stand silently by while so many people – innocent and already traumatised – are left to wonder ‘will I eat today?’ as essential aid is deliberately withheld.”
Gaza’s man-made famine
Each day brought “new, heartbreaking scenes: children wasting away; desperate parents risking everything to secure a morsel of food; and even those delivering relief – aid workers – killed while handing out meagre supplies of water, baby formula and medicine”, the letter continued.
“This blockade-driven crisis amounts to systematic starvation – a man-made famine,” it added, while urging the UK government to “take action now” and demand that Israel take the following four steps:
- To open all land border crossings into Gaza without delay
- Restore the full flow of food, water, medical supplies, shelter items and fuel via the United Nations
- End the siege that is driving families to the brink of famine
- Agree to an immediate ceasefire so that hostages can be released and Palestinians can begin to recover and receive the care they need without threat of bombs and gunfire
“The UK government faces a clear choice: to use its influence to help prevent further tragedy or to sit on the sidelines,” the letter concluded. “It is time to fulfil your responsibility. Time is running out for two million people – if action isn’t taken immediately many more innocent people in Gaza will starve and die.”
A moral issue
Pip & Nut’s Murray, who has been rallying support for the open letter over the past week, said there was a “growing coalition” within the food sector urging the government to “move beyond words and take meaningful, immediate steps to prevent further loss of life”.
She added: “When you work in a food business, you can’t look away from what’s happening in Gaza. This is not a political issue – it’s a moral one. Every day that passes without decisive action is another day a child could die from hunger.”
Her comments were echoed by Elin Roberts, co-founder and CEO of tempeh brand Better Nature, who told The Grocer “it’s very difficult to talk about the importance of eating better food when so many people are being denied food altogether”.
There were “too many injustices across the world, it can be challenging to know when to speak up especially in a business capacity”, she added. “But this is as close to home as it gets for businesses like ours.
“I’m grateful to this incredible industry for coming together to make whatever difference we can.”
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