Israel detains, deports two British MPs

The detention and deportation of British MPs Yuan Yang and Abtisam Mohamed by Israel has drawn significant attention.

The MPs, part of a parliamentary delegation, were denied entry upon their arrival in Israel. Israeli authorities claimed they were suspected of intending to "document the activities of security forces and spread anti-Israel hatred," prompting strong reactions from the UK government.

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy called the move "counterproductive and deeply concerning," asserting that such actions were inappropriate for British parliamentarians.

He said the UK's ongoing focus on negotiating a ceasefire and addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

In their statement, Yang and Mohamed expressed their surprise, describing the Israeli decision as unprecedented.

They said the importance of parliamentarians witnessing the situation in the occupied West Bank firsthand, especially as they have been vocal on the issue of Israel-Palestine and international humanitarian law.