SNP motion in Commons was a 'denial' of Hamas attack on Israel, says DUP's Ian Paisley as IDF operations in Gaza continue

He was speaking in Parliament after the SNP moved a motion calling for an immediate ceasefire in fighting between the Israeli Defence Force and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The war followed an attack on Israel on October 7 which claimed 1,200 lives.

The SNP motion called for “an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Israel” and noted “with shock and distress that the death toll has now risen beyond 28,000, the vast majority of whom were women and children”.

The motion further called for the immediate release of all hostages taken by Hamas, “an end to the collective punishment of the Palestinian people”, and called for “a ceasefire now”.

But Mr Paisley responded: “We are being asked to vote for a motion that does not contain any word about the rape of the women, the murder of the children, the unjustifiable attack.

“It’s as if it didn’t happen, it’s as if it was invisible, it’s as if, like other people in the 20th century, it denied things that happened to Israel and the Jewish people. That’s essentially what we’re seeing tonight, the denial of an attack on Israel.”

SNP MP Kirsten Oswald responded that the whole House condemns the “despicable behaviour of Hamas” and said they all call for the release of the hostages. But she added Mr Paisley was “conflating things that should never be conflated”, with other SNP MPs calling out “shame”.

The debate later descended into chaos, after Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle was accused of allowing it to be “hijacked” by Labour. The SNP's motion was originally meant to be the focus of the day but a Labour amendment went through to loud shouts of “aye” without a formal vote.

Contrasting with the SNP motion, the Labour amendment condemned “the terrorism of Hamas” and called for “a ceasefire that lasts and is observed by all sides”. It also noted that Israel “cannot be expected to cease fighting if Hamas continues with violence”.

The SNP said they had been "treated with complete and utter contempt" by Sir Lindsay, who later apologised for his handling of the debate.