Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that medical workers in Gaza can perform their humanitarian functions without risk of attack.

We are deeply concerned by the report of attacks on health workers in Gaza. The UK is clear that no health workers or aid workers should be at risk of violence, and that they must have the protection they need from the responsible authorities to allow them to do their jobs in safety. While we recognise Israel’s right to security, we have repeatedly made clear to Israel our longstanding concerns about the way Israel Defence Forces (IDF) police protests and the border areas in Gaza, including our concerns about the use of live ammunition and excessive force by the IDF. We regularly raise with the Government of Israel the urgent need to ease all access and movement restrictions on Gaza, including for health workers.

The UK continues to strongly support the delivery of humanitarian assistance in Gaza. In 2019, the UK is supporting urgent medical needs through the International Committee for the Red Cross and the World Health Organisation. We are also providing support to the UN Access Coordination Unit, which works to facilitate humanitarian access for UN and NGO workers into Gaza.