Oral Answers to Questions

Naz Shah Excerpts

Tuesday 30th April 2024 Commons Chamber

[Yasmin Qureshi (Bolton South East) (Lab)]

14. What recent assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

[Naz Shah (Bradford West) (Lab)]

20. What steps he is taking to help improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

[The Deputy Foreign Secretary (Mr Andrew Mitchell)]

We have trebled our aid commitment in the past year and we are doing all we can to get more aid to Gaza by land, air and sea.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Mitchell]

President Biden has been very heavily engaged in this matter. As the hon. Member knows, both the American and British Governments have pressed Israel not to launch an all-out assault on Rafah for the reasons that she set out. The shadow Foreign Secretary rightly said that he hopes that Hamas will accept the current deal on the table, and I agree with him.

[Naz Shah]

An Israel ground invasion in Rafah is probable within days, leading to 1.5 million displaced Palestinians with no safe place to shelter. Children in Gaza have been starved at the fastest rate that the world has ever seen, and Members across the House, including myself, have come here time and again asking for something to be done in terms of delivering aid and pushing for a ceasefire. Time and again, the Minister says that we are trying, trying, trying, but clearly trying is not working. What will the Government do to move the dial and stop children dying?

[Mr Mitchell]

The hon. Member will have seen the 6 April maritime announcement and she will know that Britain is ramping up the delivery of aid by land, sea and air. She will, I hope, be aware that we have a naval ship standing by with £9.7 million of aid and logistics equipment. There have also been 10 air drops already from the Royal Air Force; an 11th one is expected today. Therefore, the British Government are doing everything they possibly can to move the dial, as she requests.