Keir Starmer to declare ‘phase 2’ in Gaza – but Middle East trip overshadowed by minister’s ‘delusional’ peace claims

Keir Starmer says he ‘strongly welcomes’ Gaza peace plan as he says it has ‘UK support’

Sir Keir Starmer is set to announce Britain’s role in the second phase of rebuilding Gaza during his trip to the Middle East – which has already been overshadowed by a backlash to his own ministers’ claims.

The Prime Minister will be in attendance at the “signing ceremony” in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, where he is expected to call it the “first, crucial phase” to ending the conflict.

Sir Keir will also urge leaders to ensure the second phase is delivered “in full”.

However, the Prime Minister’s trip to the summit hosted by US President Dоnɑld Tгuмρ and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi followes a gaffe from Bridget Phillipson, which has been met with international scorn.

Sir Keir Starmer is set to announce Britain’s role in the second phase of rebuilding Gaza during his trip to the Middle East

On Sunday, the Education Secretary claimed Britain played a “key role” in securing the ceasefire agreement, which prompted scathing remarks by senior American and Israeli figures.

Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Sharren Haskel, said the characterisation was false, while the country’s US ambassador Mike Huckabee lambasted Ms Phillipson as “delusional”.

Mr Huckabee also invited the Education Secretary to “thank Dоnɑld Tгuмρ anytime” for securing the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

Sir Keir is now set to lavish praise on Mr Trump for his role in achieving peace, and will express gratitude towards Egypt, Qatar and Turkey for their diplomatic efforts.

The PM will tell the summit in Sharm El Sheikh: “We stand determined to seize this opportunity to deliver a lasting peace and a stable, secure future for the whole region.”

He will also outline Britain’s role in the second phase and will tell leaders that the UK will “support the next stage of talks to ensure the full implementation of the peace plan”.

National security adviser Jonathan Powell, who has come under fire in recent days amid the Chinese spy scandal, is believed to have been in almost daily contact with US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.

Sir Keir is expected to unveil a £20million aid package to Gaza, which aims to provide water and sanitation to the war-torn region.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has said the aid will be delivered to Gazans through Unicef, the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Norwegian Refugee Council.

The move will coincide with Britain hosting a three-day international summit to raise funds for a recovery plan for Gaza.

Representatives from the Palestinian Authority, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Germany and Italy are expected to be in attendance for the conference organised by the Foreign Office’s Wilton Park agency in West Sussex.

The World Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development are also believed to be joining the summit, alongside development and private sector financiers.

Ahead of the conference, Ms Cooper said: “The UK has worked intensively with international partners in recent months to create the momentum that has led to President Trump’s peace initiative, and to support the ceasefire that is now in place, but we now need to work with the same intensity and urgency to develop a plan for Gaza’s recovery and reconstruction.”

The Foreign Secretary noted that the conflict had left Gaza “completely devastated” and that the ceasefire in place presents “an opportunity not just to urgently scale up humanitarian efforts but also to look to the future of Gaza’s recovery”.

She added that “rubble must be cleared, infrastructure repaired, healthcare restored and homes rebuilt” for the re-construction of the region to be successful.