Gaza: Healthcare System Support

Lord Oates Excerpts
Thursday 16th January 2025

(2 days, 5 hours ago)

Lords Chamber
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Lord Oates Portrait Lord Oates (LD)
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My Lords, I declare my interests as set out in the register.

We awoke with news that gave hope that, 15 months after the monstrous Hamas attacks of 7 October, a ceasefire would bring the Israeli hostages home and end the devastating slaughter of innocent Palestinian civilians. This afternoon, we hear reports that Israel continues with airstrikes on Gaza and is backing away from the agreement, reportedly due to the intransigence of extremist Israeli Ministers, Smotrich and Ben-Gvir. During this time, Palestinian health services have been attacked and largely destroyed and health service workers indiscriminately killed or seized by the IDF.

In light of these attacks, will the Minister restate that obligations under international humanitarian law to protect hospitals and health workers are unconditional? Will she tell the House what representations the Government have made to Israel regarding the recent IDF attack on Kamal Adwan Hospital and the treatment of healthcare workers who are being detained by Israel?

The destruction of medical facilities is putting at further risk the lives of tens of thousands of children facing acute malnutrition in Gaza and who are unable to get access to medical care. I hope the Minister will once again urge all parties to ensure unimpeded access for humanitarian aid, both into and within Gaza. We must all hope that an enduring ceasefire will be established in the coming hours and that the unconscionable disregard of both Hamas and Israel for innocent Palestinian lives will come to an end.

Israel is not only losing many of its friends over the devastation it has wreaked in Gaza; far worse, it is in danger of losing its soul.