During a speech at his party’s conference on Tuesday, Prime Minister Keir Starmer made a verbal slip-up, mistakenly calling for the return of “sausages” instead of “hostages” held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. 

Starmer was speaking at the Labour Party’s annual conference in Liverpool, advocating for de-escalation between Lebanon and Israel and a ceasefire in Gaza. 

He also called for the return of hostages being held by the terror group when he stumbled over his words, before quickly correcting himself. 

“I call again for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza, the return of the sausages — the hostages — and a recommitment to the two-state solution: a recognized Palestinian state alongside a safe and secure Israel,” he said.

The error rapidly spread online.

During his speech, Starmer was interrupted by a spectator in the audience who shouted about Gaza. 

“This guy’s obviously got a pass from the 2019 conference. We’ve changed the party,” Starmer joked in response, Reuters reported. “While he’s been protesting, we’ve been changing the party. That’s why we’ve got a Labour government.”

Multiple hostages remain captive in Gaza nearly a year after Hamas’s October 7 attack, triggering the latest conflict between Hamas and Israel. 

Israel has proposed ending the war if Hamas releases the remaining hostages, demilitarizes Gaza, and establishes an alternative governing body. Hamas has rejected multiple offers to end the conflict. 

Israel has launched airstrikes on Gaza and vowed to apprehend those responsible for the deadly attack. Meanwhile, it has also had to defend itself against shelling in its north by Iran-backed Hezbollah. 

Israeli forces reported continued operations targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon, with artillery and tanks striking targets near the border.