Sir Keir Starmer has said he is “gravely concerned” over Israel’s decision to ban the main Palestinian aid agency from the country amid an international outcry over the move.

The Prime Minister joined the backlash from Israel’s closest Western allies after the country’s parliament voted for two bills to prevent the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) from working within its territory.

His fears of Israel “jeopardising” aid to Gaza came after the United States warned of a looming humanitarian “catastrophe” and said that children could starve to death.

The UNRWA was created in 1949 to help displaced Palestinians following the war between Arab nations and the newly established state of Israel.

The agency now receives a budget of more than £1.12 billion from the UN to provide humanitarian aid including food, medicine and education supporting 5.9 million Palestinians.

However Israel has claimed that up to 10 per cent of its staff have links to terror groups and that some of its workers participated in the Oct 7 massacre.