Today, LFI’s chair in the House of Lords, Baroness Ramsay, has written to the ambassadors of Qatar and Turkey in the UK, raising her “deep concern” about both states’ relationships with the Hamas terror group and the calling on them to apply pressure for the release of the around 130+ Israeli hostages still in Gaza.
In both letters, Baroness Ramsay raised the issue of Hamas refusing to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross access to the hostages, including causing the humanitarian pause in late November to break down as a result. She also raised concerning reports about the treatment of hostages by Hamas.
Letter to Qatari ambassador
Letter to Turkish Ambassador
In the letter to the Qatari ambassador, Baroness Ramsay raised how Qatar “allows a number of Hamas leaders, including Ismail Haniyeh, to reside in Doha” and has “for a number of years, provided the group with considerable financial support”.
In the letter to the Turkish ambassador, Baroness Ramsay raised how “under president Erdogan, Turkey has provided Hamas with various forms of support and assistance, including a safe heaven and reportedly Turkish citizenship for its leadership”. She also raised president Erdogan’s “refusal to condemn the 7 October attacks”.
She went on in both letters to “urge [Qatar and Turkey] to demand that Hamas provides the ICRC with immediate access to all the hostages pending their full and unconditional release”.