The British government quietly considered suspending a preferential trade deal with Israel during the Gaza famine in 2025 but ultimately kept it in place and did not disclose the review, according to a Sky News report cited by Middle East Eye. The Department for Business and Trade conducted an impact assessment in August 2025 under then-Prime Minister Keir Starmer, examining whether to suspend the UK-Israel Trade Partnership Agreement, which allows most Israeli goods tariff-free entry. The review came amid accusations of genocide in Gaza and ethnic cleansing in the occupied West Bank. The government did not inform Parliament or the public about the assessment, only revealing its existence after a freedom of information request by the group Global Justice Now. Officials refused to release the scope, findings, or any decisions arising from it. Trade Minister Chris Bryant defended maintaining the deal in October 2025, saying that exports to Israel support thousands of UK jobs and that suspending preferential treatment could cause economic disruption. Separately, Labour had earlier halted negotiations on an expanded free trade agreement with Israel. The review coincided with international pressure for economic sanctions on Israel, including demands for the European Union to suspend parts of its own agreement. It also followed an International Court of Justice ruling that states must avoid supporting Israel's settlement enterprise in occupied territory.