Gaza: Humanitarian Situation

Ben Maguire Excerpts

Thursday 12th November 2026 Commons Chamber

[Stephen Doughty]

A change of action is absolutely needed. I have heard the same reports as my hon. Friend about medicines, prosthetics and other items being denied entry. She will note that I announced what we are doing, particularly on the issue of prosthetics. Of course, we also need to get access for people to be medically evacuated, as we have already done with a number of severe cases, including here to the UK. We need to open up new routes for people to get treated in the region, too. Most crucially, hospitals in Gaza need to have the equipment and capability necessary to function as hospitals and not to face devastating attacks that kill their personnel.

[Ben Maguire (North Cornwall) (LD)]

In 2024, the ICJ issued three legally binding orders requiring Israel to allow entry of shelter, food, fuel and medical supplies and to keep those crossings open for as long as possible. We often hear warm words from the Dispatch Box supporting the principles of international law, and we have heard talk again today of expanding sanctions, but the real question is, when? What work is the Minister undertaking with international allies to ensure that those ICJ orders are upheld?

[Stephen Doughty]

It is crucial that ICJ orders and positions are respected, which is exactly why we work with international partners to raise attention to that and to hold Israel to account. That is exactly the sort of work we are doing in New York in our role on the Security Council; it is exactly the work we are doing today, bringing together different international partners as part of our call to action on humanitarian access. We will continue to hold Israel to account.