Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism on the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

The Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism (GRM) is a temporary tool to enable the reconstruction of Gaza. It does not obviate the need for the Israeli authorities to lift the movement and access restrictions on Gaza. Donors also need to fulfil the pledges made at the October 2014 Cairo Conference in order to ensure that people whose homes were damaged or destroyed will be able to procure materials to rebuild their homes, to fund much needed infrastructure projects and to address the urgent electricity and water needs for Gaza.

The Department for International Development contributed £500,000 to the GRM, as part of our Cairo Conference pledge.