Occupied Palestinian Territories: Humanitarian Access Debate
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Frank McNally
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Occupied Palestinian Territories: Humanitarian Access
Frank McNally Excerpts(2 days ago)
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Frank McNally (Coatbridge and Bellshill) (Lab)
I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy (Melanie Ward) on her contribution and her tireless work in this space.
The humanitarian picture, especially in Gaza, is beyond desperate. The UN special rapporteur has described the situation as “apocalyptic”. Whether it is the starvation of the population, the repeated strikes on health facilities or the obstruction of aid, it is our duty to ensure that the UK’s response—diplomatic, legal and practical—helps to turn statements into access to safe and sufficient aid, and the opportunity for people to survive.
We must fight for safe and reliable aid delivered at scale, backed by a robust ceasefire that protects aid convoys, warehouses, hospitals and shelters. We must also seek to guarantee the protection of civilians and humanitarian personnel. That means an end to evacuation orders, which clearly cannot be done safely under the current conditions.
Israel must also face the consequences for grave breaches of international law. The Government must support international investigations and the enforcement of international humanitarian law, so that impunity does not become embedded as a grim legacy of this conflict. We must champion a comprehensive political track that delivers the only durable answer: security, dignity and self-determination, including the recognition of a Palestinian state as part of a just peace.