KEIR Starmer has been criticised for an “embarrassing photo-op” after he visited a mosque in south Wales.

It comes after the Labour leader (below) was forced to clarify remarks he made about Israel’s decision to limit supplies to Gaza.

On Sunday, Starmer shared a series of images after he visited the South Wales Islamic Centre.

The National: Keir Starmer

He said: “I repeated our calls for all hostages to be released, more humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, for the water and power to be switched back on, and a renewed focus on the two state solution.

“I was questioned by members and I was deeply moved to hear their pain and horror at the suffering of civilians in Gaza.

“I made clear it is not and never has been my view that Israel had the right to cut off water, food, fuel or medicines. International law must be followed.

“That’s why we urgently need more aid and utilities to get in to Gaza. We know this is not a new crisis.

“There has been a failure of international politics for decades. We don’t want to see any further loss of innocent life, Israeli or Palestinian.”

In the immediate aftermath of Hamas’s attack on Israel, Starmer told LBC responsibility “lies with Hamas” and that Israel “has the right to defend itself”.

Responding to the social media post, the Muslim Association of Britain said: “@Keir_Starmer visited a mosque and called for hostages to be released. Are the hostages being held in a south Wales mosque.

“What a rather embarrassing photo-op for the Labour Party.”

Many others on social media hit out at the Labour leader, with one saying he was “tone deaf” and “shameless”.

Journalist Owen Jones commented: "Keir Starmer is flagrantly lying through his teeth.

"He's telling you to disbelieve your lying ears. And he's getting away with this completely deranged dishonesty because most of the media refuses to describe his lie for what it is."

It comes after a number of Labour officials in Glasgow and Edinburgh stepped down from their roles following the leadership’s “gag order” on discussing Gaza.

READ MORE: The potential consequences of Middle East conflict on the wider world

We told how nine members of Glasgow Kelvin constituency Labour Party and six members of Edinburgh Northern and Leith Executive Committee stepped down over the issue.

Palestinian officials have now reported that more than 430 people have been killed in Gaza since Sunday morning.

Israel continued missile strikes and bombings yesterday as world leaders met to call for humanitarian law to be followed.