Sunak blasts BBC in landmark statement on Israel as he confirms hospital strike came from Gaza

Sunak, who said Hamas will fail and voiced support for a two-state solution, said: "On the basis of the deep knowledge and analysis of our intelligence and weapons experts, the British Government judges that the explosion was likely caused by a missile, or part of one, that was launched from within Gaza towards Israel.

"The misreporting of this incident has a negative effect in the region, including on a vital US diplomatic effort and on tensions here at home."

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The BBC joined a number of other outlets in attributing the blast to Israel after Hamas blamed the IDF for the incident.

The IDF later released audio recordings which appeared to show terrorists from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group confessing to accidentally misfiring the projectile.

BBC News' deputy chief executive Jonathan Munro later conceded the "language wasn't quite right", adding: "The correspondent was wrong to speculate about the cause of the explosion of the hospital."

The broadcaster was also forced to alter its description of Hamas following an enormous backlash.

The BBC initially opted to call the group, which killed more than 1,400 Israelis after launching its October 7 onslaught, "militants".

However, it later announced it would label Hamas a "proscribed terror group" in accordance with the UK Government's own description.

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As many as 500 people were killed as a result of the hospital explosion, the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry has claimed.

However, US intelligence experts reduced the estimated number to between 100 and 300.

President Joe Biden also threw his weight behind Israel's stance on the deadly explosion.

Appearing alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he said: "Based on the information we’ve seen to date, it appears the result of an errant rocket fired by a terrorist group in Gaza."

The overall death toll in Gaza as a result of the conflict exceeded 5,000 earlier today, Palestinian authorities have claimed.

But Sunak's statement to the House of Commons also highlighted his growing concerns about antisemitism in the UK.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed the number of hate crimes committed against Jewish people witnessed a 1,350 per cent increase as incidents spiked following Hamas' horrific onslaught against Israel.

Islamophobic offences have also soared by 140 per cent over the same period.

Speaking about the increasing number of incidents, the Prime Minister said: "We have seen hate on our streets again this weekend.

"We all stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people, that is the message I've brought to President [Mahmoud] Abbas.

"But we will never tolerate antisemitism in our country."

Sunak warned calls for Jihad in London over the weekend are a threat to both the Jewish community and Britain's democratic values.

Scotland Yard faced renewed criticism after it decided not to take action against a protester chanting "Jihad".

Home Secretary Suella Braverman slammed the Metropolitan Police and held a "constructive" meeting with the force's commissioner Sir Mark Rowley earlier today.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer responded to the Prime Minister's statement by condemning Hamas' actions, including its decision to hold around 200 Israeli hostages.

He said: "Hamas want the Palestinian people to share in the pain because the Palestinian people are not their cause.

"Peace is not their aim. The dignity of human life, Jew or Muslim, means absolutely nothing to them."

Starmer also voiced support for the Prime Minister's decision to grant an additional £20million aid package to Gaza to assist "suffering" Palestinians.

The pair appeared to agree on Israel's right to defend itself against Hamas' attacks, with Sunak saying: "We stand resolutely with Israel in defending itself against terror."

The Leader of the Opposition added: "We stand with Israel and her right to defend herself against the terrorists of Hamas."