Mark Drakeford backs humanitarian pause for Gaza

Wales' first minister has called for a humanitarian pause in Gaza to get aid into the region.

Mark Drakeford's statement comes after 12 of his backbenchers signed calls for a ceasefire.

But former Conservative Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb said he feared that a ceasefire would be in the interests of Hamas.

Sir Keir Starmer came under further pressure last week after Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and Labour mayors Andy Burnham and Sadiq Khan called for a ceasefire last week.

In a statement issued to the BBC at the weekend, First Minister Mark Drakeford said: "I endorse the calls made by Keir Starmer for humanitarian pauses so that aid can urgently get to those who need it.

"A pause could create conditions which lead to a ceasefire and then on to the crucial next steps to provide a credible route to the peaceful resolution which is so desperately needed."

As of Monday 26 Senedd members have signed the statement of opinion, including most Labour backbenchers. Ministers are unable to sign it.

Plaid Cymru as a group has also proposed a debate on the matter for when the Senedd returns after recess.

Speaking on Politics Wales on Sunday, former Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb said he feared a ceasefire would be in the interests of Hamas.

"I completely understand why people want to see a pause in hostilities," the parliamentary chair of the Conservative Friends of Israel said. "People want to see aid getting through and that's absolutely right."

But he said Hamas had shown "no sign at all that they want to abide by any ceasefire".

"It's why other world leaders aren't supporting calls for a ceasefire at this time because... they support Israel in its aims of defeating this terrorist organisation, which is inflicting so much suffering and bloodshed on, not just Israelis, but on their own people as well."