Lord Cameron, the Foreign Secretary, visited Italy on Tuesday, where he warned Israel must take a “much more surgical, clinical and targeted approach when it comes to dealing with Hamas” amid the severe civilian cost of the war in Gaza.
He asked Israel to “recognise that they have to minimise civilian casualties, they have to obey international humanitarian law at all times”.
The Foreign Secretary will this week make his second visit to the Middle East to push for a “sustainable ceasefire” in Gaza.
Lord Cameron will visit Jordan and Egypt during the trip.
“This week I am making my second visit to the region to press the case for getting aid in to Gaza and the remaining hostages to be released,” he said.
“No one wants to see this conflict go on for a moment longer than necessary. But for a ceasefire to work, it needs to be sustainable.”
Mr Biden is under increasing pressure to act to prevent the shipping attacks as they drive a ripple effect across supply chains.
A tenth of the world’s crude and petroleum products travel through Suez, and oil prices have jumped since attacks intensified over the weekend. The price of Brent crude climbed by a further 1.9 per cent on Tuesday to more than $79 a barrel – up by around $6 compared with a week earlier.
Economists have warned that the crisis could bring petrol pump price increases within weeks, while the cost of consumer goods could also rise as companies pass on bigger freight bills.
Four of the world’s biggest shipping companies – CMA CGM Group, Hapag-Lloyd, Maersk and MSC – have diverted their vessels.
Denmark’s Maersk said on Tuesday that “all vessels previously paused and due to sail through the region will now be rerouted around Africa via the Cape of Good Hope”, adding 10 to 12 days to shipping times.
BP’s decision to pause all shipments through the Red Sea has prompted concerns about the global oil price next week, while Christmas deliveries to the UK from China are also thought to be under threat.
Richard Meade, the editor-in-chief at Lloyd’s List, said shipping rates between Asia and the Mediterranean have already jumped by a fifth.
Emily Foster is a globe-trotting journalist based in the UK. Her articles offer readers a global perspective on international events, exploring complex geopolitical issues and providing a nuanced view of the world’s most pressing challenges.
