Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what recent assessment has made of the adequacy of designated safe zones in Gaza.

Ordinary civilians must be safe and able to access food, water and medical care. We have been clear that we would not support a major operation in Rafah unless there is a very clear plan for how to protect people and save lives. We have not seen that plan so, in these circumstances, we would not support a major operation in Rafah.

We continue to press these points with our Israeli counterparts.