Senior Tory MPs have called on Rishi Sunak to back an “immediate” ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas.
The 10 backbenchers, including former ministers, said innocent Palestinians were being “massacred” by the Israeli Defence Force.
In a letter to the prime minister, they said: “The brutalisation of the civilian Palestinian population is sure to lead to more extremism in the future.”
They also condemned the UK’s decision to abstain last week on a UN resolution calling for a ceasefire.
The MPs’ intervention came as Sunak echoed foreign secretary David Cameron’s call for a “sustainable ceasefire” in the conflict.
However, Downing Street stressed that did not represent a shift in the UK government’s position that Hamas must be destroyed and Israeli hostages returned before there can be a permanent end to the hostilities.
Among the signatories to the letter are former cabinet ministers Kit Malthouse, and George Eustice.
Another MP to put their name to it was Paul Bristow, who told Sky News: “There are many more people in my party who also believe in this.
“We had 10 people on this letter today, but we can double that number in a day or two.”
Sunak said Israel “has a right to defend itself” from Hamas in the wake of the terror attack on October 7.
But he added: “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 and that’s why we’ve been consistent 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.”