United Kingdom, UK  has reduced its military aid to Israel, an action the country said it took to prevent International Human Violation.

The UK Foreign Secretary, David Lammy made this known on Monday.

There have been massive protests in Israel especially since on Sunday as thousands of the Israelis also held a nationwide strike to demand a Gaza ceasefire on Monday, hours after hundreds of thousands of people gathered in some of the biggest protests since the Gaza war began.

United States of America, USA President, Joe Biden, also on Monday said that he thinks the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu is not doing enough to secure the release of the hostages still in the captivity of the Palestinian fighters, Hamas.

When asked if he thought PM Netanyahu had done enough to secure a hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, President Biden answered: “No.”

Biden made the remark to reporters after the weekend, during which, the bodies of six hostages executed by Hamas were found in a Gaza tunnel.

Among those discovered was the body of 23-year-old American-Israeli Hersh Goldberg-Polin, whose parents had publicly pleaded for the return of their son. The pair had brought their personal appeal to the Democratic National Convention, where they were received with a standing ovation. 

Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu in a nationwide broadcast on Monday, said, the six hostages were deliberately killed by Hamas to get concession.

Benjamin Netanyahu said he has always make a deal for ceasefire but Hamas always refuse to accept the demands, saying, they are deliberately killing hostages to get concession.

Benjamin Netanyahu while also reacting to the mass protests by Israelis over the killing of the hostages and call for him to enter a ceasefire deal with the Hamas, said, the pressure should be mounted on Hamas and not Israel. Adding, Israel will not bow to pressure. 

UK Foreign Secretary, Lammy while speaking on Monday,  said the decision to suspend 30 licences of arms sales to Israel  comes following a review of export licences for UK arms which found there was a “clear risk” that the weapons would be used in a way that could breach international law. Around 30 of 350 licences will be suspended, Lammy said.

The move marks a shift for the United Kingdom and came as part of the new Labour government’s review of Israel’s compliance with international humanitarian law amid its war in Gaza. Lammy said the government had a “legal duty” to do the review.

The suspended arms export licenses, about 30 out of around 350, include sales of components for military aircraft including fighter aircraft, helicopters and drones. The arms also include items believed to be used for ground targeting, Lammy said.

“The assessment I have received leaves me unable to conclude anything other than that for certain UK arms exports to Israel, there does exist a clear risk that they might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law,” Lammy said.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said Britain’s decision “sends a very problematic message” to Hamas and “its sponsors in Iran,” while Israel’s Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant said he was “deeply disheartened” by Britain’s announcement.

Lammy stressed that the suspension was “not a blanket ban” or “an arms embargo” and that the British government has not “and could not — arbitrate on whether or not Israel has breached international humanitarian law.”

“This is a forward looking evaluation, not a determination of innocence or guilt, and it does not prejudge any future determinations by the competent courts,” he said.

It would be recalled that the war started when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostage.

Thereafter, Israel launched military campaign in Gaza that has killed more than 40,000 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but says the majority killed are women and children.

Britain has faced mounting pressure in recent months to suspend arms sales to Israel, with protesters gathering in the streets outside government buildings to call for an end to arms transfers.

Britain’s former foreign secretary David Cameron said in April that arms sales to Israel would not be suspended. Lammy said an immediate review of British arms export licensing to Israel was initiated when the Labour Party came to power in July.

Britain is not a major supplier of arms to Israel and says its arms exports represent 0.02 percent of Israel’s overall military imports. The United States and Germany supply the vast majority of Israel’s imported arms.

The Biden administration has continued to provide arms to Israel, despite concerns among US officials and lawmakers about Israel’s military tactics. Last month, the Biden administration approved about $20 billion in new weapons sales to Israel over the next several years.