Labour MPs Afzal Khan and Yasmin Qureshi have written to Sir Keir Starmer saying they will resign from their roles as shadow ministers.

Yasmin Qureshi, the MP for Bolton South East, wrote: “The situation in Gaza desperately requires an immediate ceasefire to address the humanitarian catastrophe and to advance moves towards a political solution that brings freedom, prosperity and security.”

While Afzal Khan, the MP for Manchester Gorton, said: “I understand that you do not feel that a ceasefire is currently the right course of action and due to our difference of opinion on the issue, I do not feel I am able to continue as a shadow minister.”

It comes as the House of Commons is voting on calling for a ceasefire in the region.

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MPs divided to vote on amendment R, tabled by Labour, to the motion on the King's Speech. The amendment tabled by Labour says the 'House wishes to see an end to the violence in Israel and Palestine' and calls for a 'credible, diplomatic and political process to deliver the lasting peace of a two-state solution.'

That vote was rejected. The house is currently voting on the SNP amendment calling for an 'immediate ceasefire'.

The Bolton South East MP shared her letter to the Labour leader on X, formerly Twitter, adding: "The scale of bloodshed in Gaza is unprecedented. Tonight, I will vote for an immediate ceasefire.

"We must call for an end to the carnage to protect innocents lives and end human suffering. With regret, I have stepped down as Shadow Women and Equalities Minister."

Mr Khan did the same by sharing his letter on social media, adding: "Today, I will be voting for the motion calling on the UK Govt to support a #CeasefireNow in Gaza. With 11,000+ Gazans killed, supporting a full and immediate ceasefire is the very least we can do.

"In order to be free to do so, I have stepped down as Shadow Minister for Export."

Afzal Khan MP

Labour has ordered its MPs to abstain on the SNP's motion, meaning frontbenchers must resign or face the sack to support it.

Nearly 70 Labour MPs have defied their leader to call for a ceasefire now, and nearly 50 councillors have resigned from the party over the leadership's position on the war, reports the BBC. Sir Keir has argued that a ceasefire would not be appropriate, because it would freeze the conflict and embolden Hamas.

Instead, Labour, like the Conservative government, the United States and the European Union, is calling for "humanitarian pauses" to help aid reach Gaza. Compared with a formal ceasefire, these pauses tend to last for short periods of time, sometimes just a few hours - but many MPs have said the pauses do not go far enough.

The pauses are implemented with the aim of providing humanitarian support only, as opposed to achieving long-term political solutions. Last week, the US said Israel would begin to implement daily four-hour military pauses in areas of northern Gaza.