The Foreign Office has backtracked on David Lammy’s claim that Israel broke international law during the war in Gaza.

The Foreign Secretary accused Benjamin Netanyahu’s country of a “breach of international law” by withholding aid supplies, when he spoke in a Commons debate on Monday.

But Mr Lammy’s department sought to clarify the remarks on Tuesday morning, and indicated he had misspoken in the chamber.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: “The Foreign Secretary’s position remains that Israel’s actions in Gaza are at clear risk of breaching international humanitarian law.”

The UK has long taken the position that Israel is at “risk” of breaking international law but did not explicitly accuse the country of a breach until Mr Lammy’s remarks.

Rupa Huq, the Labour MP for Ealing Central and Acton, spoke during the debate to accuse Israel of taking “provocative action during Ramadan” by blocking aid.

She went on to ponder the possible consequences of what “people are saying is a breach of international law”.