Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to the urgent question on Israel and Hamas: Humanitarian Pause in the House of Lords on 29 November 2023, Official Report column 1091 HL, what his Department's policy is on whether there should be a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel.

Israel has a right to self-defence and needs to be able to address the threat posed by Hamas, in a manner that abides by International Humanitarian Law. The UK is supportive of humanitarian pauses, and the temporary cessation of hostilities, to enable humanitarian organisations to deliver aid and give respite to civilians. As noted in the response of 29 November, the recent pause was a welcome opportunity to get hostages out and to allow increased amounts of aid and fuel in. We continue to press, at the UN and with Israel, for unhindered humanitarian access and substantive, repeated humanitarian pauses.