Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to help ensure there is an (a) independent, (b) transparent and (c) thorough investigation into each child fatality that occurred during protests in Gaza between 30 March and 31 December 2018.

​The UK fully supports the need for an independent and transparent investigation which establishes the facts about the recent violence in Gaza. We have repeatedly called for such an investigation at the highest levels, as well as in multiple forums, including in Parliament in an Urgent Question on 22 March, and at the UN Security Council. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv raised Gaza with the Israeli authorities in March, highlighting the importance of proportionality, and raising concerns about the volume of live fire against unarmed women, children and medics. We will continue to make clear to the Israeli authorities that it is vital their investigations are independent and transparent and that their findings are made public, and importantly, if wrongdoing is found, those that are responsible are held to account.