THERESA May has described the loss of life in Gaza protests as "tragic and extremely concerning" and urged Israel to show restraint without openly condemning its actions.
The Prime Minister called for an "independent and transparent investigation" into the incident. While accepting that Israel had the right to defend its borders, she said its use of live ammunition was "deeply troubling".
Some 59 Palestinians were killed and more than 2,500 injured when Israeli troops opened fire at protesters approaching the border fence on Monday.
Amid growing international condemnation, Israel insisted it had the right to defend its border against a possible mass breach and accused the militant Hamas movement of trying to carry out attacks under the cover of the protests.
The tragic scenes overshadowed Mrs May's meeting in Downing Street with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
He has called an emergency meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Istanbul on Friday to discuss the violence in Gaza.
Speaking alongside Mrs May as the talks began, Mr Erdogan accused the United States of laying the foundations for the "horrible massacre" by fulfilling Donald Trump's promise to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
In a press conference following their meeting, Mrs May said: "The loss of life we have seen is tragic and extremely concerning. Such violence is destructive to peace efforts and we call on all sides to show restraint.
"There is an urgent need to establish the facts of what happened yesterday through an independent and transparent investigation, including why such a volume of live fire was used and what role Hamas played in events.
"Palestinians have the right to protest but these protests must be peaceful,” she declared, expressing concern that extremist elements were seeking to hijack legitimate protests to further their own objectives.
"While we do not question the right of Israel to defend its borders, the use of live fire and the resulting loss of life is deeply troubling. We urge Israel to show restraint.”
Mr Erdogan said the Israeli ambassador to Ankara had been expelled on Tuesday afternoon and its own ambassador to Tel Aviv has been recalled for instructions.
“Israel is on the brink of making a decision about the Turkish ambassador in Jerusalem. If that decision gets implemented in an unfortunate fashion, we will impose possible sanctions."
The President said the US decision to move its embassy was not only a violation of United Nations resolutions and international law but also a step away from the country's role as a mediator in the Middle East peace process.
"Instead, the US introduced itself as contributing to the conflict," he claimed.
Citing widespread opposition in the UN to the embassy move, Mr Erdogan said: "The US claims to be powerful. You are powerful, but you are not right. History will not forgive you. This is the fact that we will observe in the future."
He added: "Israel will not be forgiven. That's what we are going to witness in the future too. It all boils down to the fact of making a choice; are we going to side with the strong or side with those who are right?"
Earlier in the House of Commons, Alistair Burt, the Middle East Minister, said that Britain did not back the US embassy move but it was now a reality. “We will continue to work for peace in the region," he stressed.
Emily Thornberry for Labour said the Israeli Defence Force’s response to the protest was an “apparently calculated and deliberate policy to kill and maim unarmed protesters, who posed no threat to the forces on the Gaza border".
Stephen Gethins for the SNP branded President Trump’s decision to move the US embassy to Jerusalem "reckless" and "irresponsible".
Labour’s Dr Rosena Allin-Khan said the “abhorrent massacre” in Gaza was the result of a “fire fuelled by a narcissistic American President who is content to watch the world burn”.
The London MP explained how she would be among the protesters at Mr Trump’s planned UK visit on July 13 and she implored the Government, in light of the events in Gaza, to cancel it.
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