• WE must be horrified by the scale of death and destruction we are witnessing and by the numbers that climb daily as Israel continues its bombardment of Gaza with the support of our government.

Over 25,000 people dead (United Nations OCHA figures from January 21), including more than 10,000 children; 1.7 million people displaced; homes, hospitals, bakeries and schools destroyed.

Without adequate access to food, shelter, or clean water and a critical shortage of medical supplies and facilities, 2.2 million people are at imminent risk of death from starvation or disease. Some 625,000 students (100 per cent) have no access to education; 153 UN staff and 117 journalists have been killed.

There is overwhelming support among the British public – 71 per cent according to a recent YouGov poll – for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

There have been huge and continuing protests around the world from the start. South Africa has brought a compelling and detailed case at the International Court of Justice.

Yet our government is continuing to send arms to Israel in spite of all this and in spite of major concerns in the foreign office about Israel’s actions.

We have just heard that the UK is again joining in US strikes against the Houthis in Yemen. We seem to live in a world where there are only military options. What happened to diplomacy and negotiation?

The atrocities in Gaza and their repercussions will not bring security for anyone in the region and are, indeed, exacerbating tensions.

Our political leaderships should realign themselves with public sentiment and the international laws that the UK helped to formulate.

Their failure to recognise and respond to the outrage felt by a clear majority of the population can only lead to alienation at best, or radicalisation at worst.

It is both wrong and dangerous.

GOPA ROY, NW5