Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure the protection of humanitarian personnel working in (a) Gaza and (b) other conflict zones; and if he will review the Government's (a) arms exports and (b) military cooperation with states found to be violating international humanitarian law.

Gaza remains the most dangerous place for humanitarians in the world, with over 400 killed since 7 October 2023. Humanitarian personnel must be protected and never targeted. At the UN Security Council meeting on 3 April, we urged Israel to respect deconfliction notifications from aid workers, to allow them to operate without coming under attack. Globally, the UK uses its bilateral relationships, and partnerships with humanitarian actors on the front line to encourage parties to consent to humanitarian relief operations, facilitate unimpeded access, and protect civilians including humanitarian aid workers. We provide direct investment to support the protective measures our partners require to work safely, the freedom to use different approaches to increase access to aid and reduce risks, and flexible funding to enable our partners to strengthen their risk mitigation strategies when required. The government is committed to maintaining a robust export control system. An export licence would not be granted if it was incompatible with any of the criteria, including respect for international humanitarian law.