Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, if he will have discussions with the UN on establishing responsibility for the (a) bombing of the al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza in October 2023 and (b) recent deaths of four Israel Defence Forces soldiers at Kerem Shalom border crossing.

As the Prime Minister said on 23 October, the Government's judgement is that the explosion at Al-Ahli Hospital on 17 October was likely caused by a missile, or part of one, that was launched from within Gaza towards Israel. Hamas has claimed responsibility for the strike on 05 May which killed four Israel Defence Force soldiers at Kerem Shalom.

Our priority is doing all we can to reach a long-term solution to this crisis. This means the removal of Hamas' capacity to launch attacks against Israel, Hamas no-longer being in charge of Gaza, the release of all hostages, a new Palestinian Government for the West Bank and Gaza, and a political horizon to a two-state solution.