Oral Answers to Questions

Torcuil Crichton Excerpts

Tuesday 2nd September 2025 Commons Chamber

[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.

[Dr Rosena Allin-Khan (Tooting) (Lab)]

11. What discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on civilian deaths in Gaza.

--- Later in debate ---

[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.

[Torcuil Crichton]

I reiterate the concerns raised last night by my fellow journalist and hon. Friend the Member for Earley and Woodley (Yuan Yang) in highlighting Gaza as the deadliest war for journalists. Over 189 have been killed since October 2023, despite reporters being categorised as protected civilians under international law. Israel seems set on a deadly campaign to silence journalists in Gaza while refusing entry to other international journalists. Can the Secretary of State join me in condemning that strategy and in paying tribute to those who are risking their lives to get news out of Gaza, and also commend our own domestic broadcasters—including the much-maligned BBC—for keeping us informed on what is going on there?

[Mr Lammy]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for bringing this matter to the House’s attention. I strongly condemn all violence directed against journalists, and call on the Israeli authorities to make every effort to ensure that media workers across the region can conduct their work freely and safely. Deliberate targeting of journalists is entirely unacceptable. International humanitarian law offers protection to civilian journalists during any armed conflicts, and those laws should be abided by. I call for all attacks to be investigated and for those responsible to be prosecuted.