Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has reiterated the government’s call for a ‘sustainable ceasefire’ saying that ‘too many lives’ have been lost in the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Speaking to reporters in Scotland earlier today, Sunak said: “Israel obviously has a right to defend itself against what was an appalling terrorist attack perpetrated by Hamas, but it must do that in accordance with humanitarian law.

"It's clear that too many civilian lives have been lost and nobody wants to see this conflict go on a day longer than it has to," he added.

"That's why we've been consistent - and I made this point in parliament last week - in calling for a sustainable ceasefire, whereby hostages are released, rockets stop being fired into Israel by Hamas and we continue to get more aid in."

His intervention comes as the Israeli Defence Forces faces accusations from the Catholic Church both in the UK and the Vatican that worshippers in Gaza’s largest Catholic church were deliberately targeted.

The Pope has accused the IDF of terrorism and a senior cardinal, Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichols accused Israeli forces of killing Christians in ‘cold-blood.’ 

Spokesman Mark Regev rebutted the claims saying:"We don't shoot people who are going to church to pray, it just doesn't happen, that's not the way the IDF operates,"

"Could they have been killed [in the crossfire] by Palestinian terrorists who were shooting at our people indiscriminately? I don't know."

Sunak also said that he had spoken to Benjamin Netanyahu, pressuring him to allow more aid into Gaza.

"One of the things I spoke to Prime Minister Netanyahu about the other week was opening up another crossing so that we can get more aid into Gaza."

Last week, the Kerem Shalom border crossing was opened by Israel to increase the flow of aid shipments into the enclave.