Gaza: Healthcare System Support

Baroness Northover Excerpts

Thursday 16th January 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Northover (LD)]

My Lords, it is hugely welcome that we finally seem to have a peace deal, and we must hope that this holds, but we must not look away now. There are lessons to be learned and only a sustained focus can give any hope of there not being similar conflicts in the future. Although this debate focuses on healthcare in Gaza, it is in essence about rights and responsibilities. As the noble Baroness, Lady Kennedy, has rightly laid out, under international law, civilians and medical staff must be protected, yet we hear that in Gaza, hospitals have been attacked, with patients killed, equipment destroyed and services lost. Numerous doctors and other medical staff have been killed.

The WHO has said that Israeli forces have conducted a

“systematic dismantling of the health system”

in northern Gaza. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has described a “pattern of attacks” that begin with Israeli air strikes and are followed by ground raids and the detention of patients and staff,

“leaving the hospital essentially non-functional”.

Israel has maintained that Hamas has been operating from these health facilities, but the UN high commissioner states that Israel

“has not provided sufficient information to substantiate many of these claims”

and has called for independent investigations. Why have these not been allowed? Why are journalists not allowed access?

It is in the interests of everyone—Israelis, Palestinians, the wider region and globally—for this appalling situation to end. A political resolution, with a two-state solution, is long overdue. International law must be respected without fear or favour.