UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron said on Sunday that imposing an arms embargo on Israel would strengthen Hamas and could reduce chances to reach a hostage release deal.
Cameron said he was pressed to make a "political declaration" indicating such a decision, telling the interviewer on Sky News that that would make the interview easier but insisted that there was a process that must be followed before a decision can be made, whether to impose any restrictions on arms to Israel.
"The very next thing that happened just a few days later was a massive Iranian attack on Israel including 134 missiles on Israel so I don't think it would have been a wise path and I still don't," he said.
"It would strengthen Hamas, would weaken Israel and I don't think it would probably make the hostage deal less likely," he said. "We should stick to our rigorous process of making sure we act within the law."
Cameron went on to say that an extensive operation in Gaza is dangerous for Israel, stressing that the UK does not support it without a plan for a massive evacuation of displaced Gazans, there but clarified his position that Hamas is the problem.
He criticized the terror group's refusal of the proposed deal that would see the freeing of thousands of Palestinians from Israeli jails and include a truce in the fighting, which he said Gaza was in desperate need of.