At least six British citizens were killed in Hamas’s attack on Israel and a further 10 are missing, Rishi Sunak has told MPs.
The prime minister described the events of last Saturday as a “pogrom” – an act of organised torture or killing of a large group of people on the basis of their race or religion.
Giving an update in the House of Commons, he said that overall, more than 1,400 people were murdered, over 3,500 wounded and almost 200 taken hostage.
He said that included the elderly and babies who were “murdered, mutilated, burned alive”.
“We should call it by its name: it was a pogrom,” the prime minister said.
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Mr Sunak said the “terrible nature of these attacks means it is proving difficult to identify many of the deceased” but at least six Britons were killed.
“A further 10 are missing, some of whom are feared to be among the dead,” he added.
The prime minister said the relatives of some of the missing were in parliament watching his statement and the UK is working with Israel to establish the facts and support them through their “unimaginable pain”.
On action the UK is taking, he said eight flights so far have brought back 500 British nationals from Israel, with more leaving in the coming hours.
He said the UK must “support absolutely Israel’s right to defend itself” in targeting Hamas and rescuing hostages from Gaza within international law.
But he also recognised that the Palestinian people are “victims of Hamas too” as he announced an extra £10m of aid funding.
He said Hamas is using Palestinians as human shields and 2,600 Palestinians have been killed since the fighting started, with Israel retaliating with airstrikes.
“We mourn the loss of every innocent life,” the prime minister said.
It comes amid growing concern about the humanitarian situation unfolding in Gaza.
Israel, which launched its airstrikes in the aftermath of the surprise attack by Hamas on 7 October, has ordered civilians to evacuate the north ahead of an imminent attack.
It has also ramped up already strict blockades until hostages are released, while hundreds of tonnes of aid from several countries have been held up in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula for days pending a deal for its safe delivery to Gaza.
The UN has warned that its operations in the strip are “on the verge of collapse” with water, wheat, electricity, medication “and even body bags” running out.
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Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said an “acute humanitarian crisis” is now unfolding and Israel’s defence “must be conducted in accordance with international law – civilians must not be targeted”.
He called for humanitarian access and corridors to be opened – including allowing food, water, electricity and medicines in for hospitals to use.
British officials have been pressing for Egypt to open the Rafah crossing with Gaza to allow Britons, dual nationals, as well as their spouses and children, to flee and to allow humanitarian aid to reach more than two million people.
However, expectations in government for opening the crossing were understood to be very low on Monday.
Mr Sunak raised the border crossing in a call with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi last week, and it is understood that opening the border for foreign nationals and for Palestinian refugees could be treated separately.
He also spoke to Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, telling him that Israel has “every right to defend itself” while raising “the need to minimise the impact on civilians as best we can”.
