The people of Gaza are facing a humanitarian disaster and I understand that many people have been moved by the plight of innocent Palestinian civilians. Of course, I would like to see the end of the war through a humanitarian pause and a sustainable permanent ceasefire and I fully support the delivery of aid into Gaza to support the civilians there.
The UK is working via all diplomatic channels, bilaterally and collectively in the region to ensure that this conflict can be brought to a halt to reach a sustainable permanent ceasefire. The Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary and Defence Secretary have frequently visited the region since the start of the conflict to speak to all leaders so that we can see the necessary progress for a sustainable ceasefire. The only way this will happen is that Hamas must agree to release all of the hostages they still hold, they must no longer be in charge of Gaza and they should end all threats of further attacks. Instead, the Palestinian Authority must provide the necessary governance in the region backed by substantial international aid. All sides must then reaffirm their commitment to a two-state solution. This is the only way a sustainable outcome will be reached.
The UK Government has also repeatedly stressed that Israel must take every precaution to minimise civilian casualties, in line with international humanitarian law, to ensure that the campaign is targeted against Hamas terrorists and military infrastructure. We must see discipline, professionalism and restraint from the Israeli military. I agree that ordinary civilians must be safe and able to access food, water and medical care. Ministers have been clear that the UK would not support a major operation in Rafah unless there is a very clear plan for how to protect people and save lives. We have not seen that plan so, in these circumstances, we would not support a major operation in Rafah.
May 2024 - Humanitarian situation in Gaza
The UK has more than trebled aid to £70 million for the Occupied Palestinian Territories partners including the British Red Cross, UNICEF, the UN World Food Programme and the Egyptian Red Crescent Society. This is in addition to the existing £27 million of assistance the Government had already committed. £4.25 million of this aid has been set aside to help ensure life-saving support to vulnerable women and girls through the United Nations Population Fund. This support is expected to reach around a fifth of adult women in Gaza, with up to 100 community midwives, around 20,000 menstrual hygiene kits and 45,000 clean delivery kits.
Four humanitarian flights, enabled by the RAF, have delivered a total of 74 tonnes of aid to Egypt. These deliveries have included lifesaving items such as wound care packs, tents, blankets, mattresses and vital equipment including forklift trucks, belt conveyors and lighting towers. The Royal Fleet Auxiliary Ship Lyme Bay also delivered 87 tonnes of UK and Cypriot aid from Cyprus to Egypt earlier this year. The UK and Qatar working together delivered a shipment containing 17 tonnes of family-sized tents. The UK and Jordan delivered 4 tonnes of aid by air to Tal Al-Hawa Hospital in northern Gaza, including medicines, fuel and food for hospital patients and staff. The UK RAF has airdropped over 10 tonnes of food along the northern Gaza coastline. This included water, rice, cooking oil, flour, tinned goods and baby formula for civilians. 150 tonnes of UK aid, including more than 13,000 blankets and 840 family-sized tents entered Gaza in March through the Jordanian land route.
The World Food Programme is distributing more than 2,000 tonnes of UK-funded food aid. This includes fortified wheat flour for bakeries, hot meals and ready-to-eat food parcels. The food parcels will feed more than 275,000 people in Gaza. Most recently, UK aid has been successfully delivered to the Gaza shore, in the first delivery across the US-built temporary pier. The first of 8,400 shelter coverage kits have arrived, with more aid including 2,000 additional coverage kits, 900 tents, 5 forklift trucks and 9,200 hygiene kits, will follow in the coming weeks. This clearly demonstrates the huge efforts the Government is making so we continue to provide the humanitarian support the people of Gaza desperately need.
I want to reassure you the Foreign Secretary has met with leaders in the region, including the Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, on several occasions to push for aid deliveries to rise to 500 trucks per day to match the high levels of need. Israel should now do everything possible to clear the backlog of aid waiting in Egypt and open key crossings, including the Port of Ashdod and the Karem Shalom for far longer periods.
April 2024 - World Central Kitchen aid workers
I was appalled and deeply saddened by the news of the airstrike that killed World Central Kitchen aid workers, including 3 British nationals, in Gaza. These were people who were working to deliver life-saving aid to those who desperately need it. My thoughts and sincere condolences are with their families and friends at this incredibly distressing time.
On 2 April, the UK Minister for Development and Africa summoned the Israeli Ambassador to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, where he set out the UK Government’s unequivocal condemnation of this incident. On the same day, the Prime Minister spoke to his Israeli counterpart and demanded a thorough and transparent independent investigation into what happened.
I know that the UK Government is carefully reviewing the initial findings of Israel’s investigations into the killing of the World Central Kitchen aid workers and welcomes the suspension of two officers as a first step. Their inquiry so far has highlighted failures in deconfliction processes and the unacceptable conduct of the IDF personnel involved. This must never happen again. These findings must be published in full and followed up with a wholly independent review to ensure the utmost transparency and accountability.
The Foreign Secretary has underlined the need for Israel to ensure effective deconfliction in Gaza and ensure effective systems to guarantee the safety of humanitarian operations. The UK continues to raise this with Israel at the highest levels.
February 2024 - Ceasefire votes in Parliament
This war is being fought between the terrorist group Hamas and the democratic state of Israel, while of course, I would like the fighting to end the UK Parliament does not have any legislative power to force a ceasefire. Signing Early Day Motions or voting for an amendment for a ceasefire will not bring about a It is completely false to claim otherwise. Even if every single MP in Parliament voted for a ceasefire - the war would not stop, that is a fact.
As you may know, on the 21st February, an Opposition Day Debate secured by the SNP chose to debate this important issue. Unfortunately, the Speaker broke convention by selecting the Labour Party amendment which effectively meant that the SNP motion would have been amended by Labour and this motion written by the Labour Party could have been the main one voted on. While all three main parties support some kind of ceasefire in Gaza, the Speaker did not give the chance for a vote on the Conservative Government's motion either. If I was given the chance I would have supported the Government's amendment which stated:
This House...“supports Israel’s right to self-defence, in compliance with international humanitarian law, against the terror attacks perpetrated by Hamas; condemns the slaughter, abuse and gender-based violence perpetrated on 7 October 2023; further condemns the use of civilian areas by Hamas and others for terrorist operations; urges negotiations to agree an immediate humanitarian pause as the best way to stop the fighting and to get aid in and hostages out; supports moves towards a permanent sustainable ceasefire; acknowledges that achieving this will require all hostages to be released, the formation of a new Palestinian Government, Hamas to be unable to launch further attacks and to be no longer in charge in Gaza, and a credible pathway to a two-state solution which delivers peace, security and justice for both Israelis and Palestinians; expresses concern at the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and at the prospect of a military offensive in Rafah; reaffirms the urgent need to significantly scale up the flow of aid into Gaza, where too many innocent civilians have died; and calls on all parties to take immediate steps to stop the fighting and ensure unhindered humanitarian access.”