LONDON, July 9 (Reuters) - Andy Burnham, expected to be named Britain's new prime minister later this month, wants to increase pressure on the Israeli government over its actions in Gaza, The Guardian reported on Thursday.

In an interview with the newspaper, Burnham criticized the current Prime Minister Keir Starmer's initial reaction to the military campaign launched by Israel against Gaza in October 2023 in response to an attack by the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) on the seventh of the same month.

He said, "We need to do more to put pressure on the Israeli government... Yes, we have taken some important steps... But let's be honest, Britain was too late in calling for a ceasefire. We now need to do more to strengthen our approach."

Starmer initially resisted calls from members of his own party, including Burnham, who was mayor at the time, to demand a ceasefire, and instead supported a humanitarian cessation of hostilities.

Stammer then called for a ceasefire and has since criticized the Israeli government's conduct in Gaza. His government imposed sanctions on far-right ministers in the Israeli government and officially recognized a Palestinian state.

Despite the ceasefire reached last year that ended a two-year war, the Israeli military continues to launch raids on Gaza during the wider regional conflict involving Iran and Hezbollah, citing threats or rocket attacks from Hamas.

Burnham said, "We need to do more, including considering further sanctions, either against those involved in the violence in Gaza or taking measures to ban trade in goods with illegal settlements."