Oral Answers to Questions

Matt Turmaine Excerpts

Tuesday 2nd September 2025 Commons Chamber

[Mr Lammy]

The hon. Gentleman is right to raise with the House the plight of children in Gaza. Yesterday I mentioned my concerns about malnourished children and what that does for their educational outcomes. Yesterday he will have heard the Home Secretary and myself undertake to do more to support students with full scholarships to come to our country. Of course, as the hon. Gentleman would expect, I press the Israeli Foreign Minister on these very same issues.

[Matt Turmaine (Watford) (Lab)]

8. What steps he is taking to support a ceasefire in Gaza.

[Torcuil Crichton (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (Lab)]

9. What recent steps his Department has taken to help secure peace in the Middle East.

--- Later in debate ---

[The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (Mr David Lammy)]

The situation on the ground in Gaza is horrendous, and we urgently want to see a deal done to end the suffering on all sides. An immediate ceasefire is our overwhelming priority, alongside the unconditional release of all hostages and a large-scale delivery of aid. The ceasefire must be sustainable and lead to a wider peace plan, which we are developing with our international partners.

[Matt Turmaine]

My constituency of Watford is a richly ethnically diverse community. When I speak to residents there about the conflict in Gaza, the overwhelming desire is for the killing to stop, for the hostages to be released and for the people of Gaza to be able to live in peace. Will the Secretary of State further outline what steps the Government are taking to aid international efforts to broker the ceasefire and what is frustrating it?

[Mr Lammy]

I am very grateful to my hon. Friend for raising this issue. Diplomacy, not bloodshed, is how we get security for both Israelis and Palestinians, and getting to a ceasefire is the immediate priority. I will be in the region again in the coming days, discussing with them the Prime Minister’s framework for peace, which is the only plan, and how we govern Gaza and move forward once we get to that ceasefire, building a consensus around a sustainable end to the conflict.