“My one overriding concern is to try and stop the killing of so many innocent women and children who have no part in Hamas or any terrorist action.”

The Labour ward councillor for Lydiard and Freshbrook is the only member of the council to sign a petition calling on Labour Party national leader Keir Starmer to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Since Palestinian terror organisation Hama conducted atrocities against Israeli civilians on October 7, killing at least 1400 people, many women and children, and kidnapping more than 200 people, Israeli forces have been conducting operations in Gaza designed, the government says, to disable and eradicate Hamas.

At the latest count more than 10,000 Palestinians, including more than 4,000 children have been killed.

Cllr Begum said: “I signed the petition because I think it’s important that Keir Stemer calls for a ceasefire to stop more civilians from being killed.

“Of course, Rishi Sunak is the Prime Minister, he’s in charge of the country, and I’d like him to make the same call, but I’m a member of the Labour Party and you have to start with your own part of the world’s first.”

Much of the pressure has come on to Sir Keir since he gave an interview to LBC where he appeared to say Israel had a right to cut off power and water to Gaza in response.  He later clarified he meant that Israel had a right to defend itself against attacks by Hamas but should operate within international law.

And Cllr Begum agrees with him on that. She said: “Israel absolutely has a right to defend itself against a terrorist organisation like Hamas. Of course, it does.

“But what’s happening now is more like retaliation than defence. And my main concern is the human cost.

“The death toll in Gaza has now just passed 10,000 one month on from the original attack, at what point do we say: “This is enough.”?

Cllr Begum said a ceasefire was needed urgently to be able to get help to the people in Gaza, who she said, were defenceless against the actions of the Israeli forces.

She said: “It’s called a war – but this is not a war between two counties with their own armies.

“Palestinians have no defence forces; they don’t have a proper government.

“Israel says a ceasefire will just allow Hamas to regroup, but all that’s happening now is that thousands of civilians have been killed.

“When does it stop, when every single Palestinian is dead? We need a ceasefire to stop the killing of innocent civilians who have nothing to do with Hamas.”