The UK lawyers also clashed with Israel by insisting that Unrwa, the UN’s Palestinian relief agency, should be regarded as a neutral and impartial body with which the Israeli government had a duty to cooperate to provide aid to the Palestinian people.

Langrish said: “Israel must facilitate full, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian provision to the population of Gaza, including food, water and electricity, and must ensure access to medical care in accordance with international humanitarian law.”