UK Prime Minister Sunak Chairs Emergency Meeting on Rising Domestic Terrorism Amid Israel-Hamas Conflict

Emergency measures include 'table top' wargames and reviews of funding with ministers wary of rising community tensions; meanwhile, the national terror threat level remains unchanged despite 'accelerated' threat.

• UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has urged police and security services to prepare for the potential of a terror attack in the wake of escalating tensions over the Israel-Hamas conflict. In an emergency Cobra meeting, officials assessed the 'accelerated' threat of domestic terrorism and risk of public disorder.
• Sunak has directed government departments to review their affiliations with external organizations to ensure no financial support is extended to entities exhibiting 'sympathy' to terrorism. This follows a large pro-Palestine protest in London where extreme sentiments were reportedly demonstrated.
• Home Secretary Suella Braverman characterized the pro-Palestine protests of the past three weekends as 'hate marches'. She suggested a willingness to revise the terror laws if needed, to combat actors exploiting gaps in the legislation to incite anti-Semitism.
• The national terror threat level remains 'substantial', indicating a likely attack but not being raised to 'severe', which would imply a highly likely attack. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has called for the consideration of new laws to fight 'hateful extremism'.
• Meanwhile, Sunak has expressed 'serious concern at the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza' in a conversation with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. Both leaders stressed the importance of increasing the supplies of essential resources to civilians in Gaza amid the escalating conflict.

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