UK foreign minister David Cameron and German counterpart Annalena Baerbock stressed that the “need is urgent” for a “sustainable ceasefire” in Gaza in a joint article for Britain’s Sunday Times.

According to AFP, the two ministers wrote in a joint Sunday Times article that “too many civilians have been killed” in the bombardment, and raised the pressure on Israel to bring its operation against Hamas to a swift, but “sustainable”, end.

“We must do all we can to pave the way to a sustainable ceasefire, leading to a sustainable peace. The sooner it comes, the better — the need is urgent,” they wrote.

However, the pair also said that they “do not believe that calling right now for a general and immediate ceasefire, hoping it somehow becomes permanent, is the way forward”.

“It ignores why Israel is forced to defend itself: Hamas barbarically attacked Israel and still fires rockets to kill Israeli citizens every day. Hamas must lay down its arms,” they added.

Responding to questions about the UK government’s change of tone, Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden urged Israel to show restraint.

“Israel is dealing with a very difficult situation,” he told the BBC’s “Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg” show.

“If you’re going after an enemy that literally hides underneath hospitals, hides amongst the civilian population, you are going to sustain high levels of civilian casualties,” he said.

“What we as a UK government are saying is Israel, you do need to exercise restraint,” he added.