UK’s FM: Hostage deal is ‘right answer’ to ending war, the ‘problem goes back to Hamas’

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron says that a deal to secure the release of the hostages held in Gaza is “the right answer” to end the war between Israel and Hamas.

“My view is that the right answer is to try and stop the fighting by having a hostage deal, achieving a pause in the fighting and then using that to build a sustainable ceasefire without going back to further conflict,” Cameron tells Sky News.

“But the problem is it goes back to Hamas,” he says. “Hamas have been offered a deal which would release hundreds of prisoners from Israeli jails, that would provide a pause in the fighting… and they’re not taking that deal.”

“The real pressure should be on Hamas to agree that hostage deal. The fighting could stop tomorrow,” he says.

Cameron tells the UK outlet that he was pressed to declare an immediate arms embargo, and days later a “massive Iranian attack” was launched at Israel.

“I don’t think it would have been a wise path, and I still don’t think it would be a wise path,” he says.

“I mean, if I announced that today, it might help me get through this television interview, but actually it would strengthen Hamas,” he says. “It would weaken Israel. I think it probably makes a hostage deal less likely.”

Cameron also says says that Israel must not launch a widespread offensive in the southern Gaza city Rafah without plans to safeguard the civilian population there.