Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations his Department has made to the Government of Israel on the reported bombing of (a) schools and (b) shelters in Gaza.

The UK is deeply concerned at reports of bombing of schools in Gaza, and the impact on Gaza's children. We have called on Israel to do its utmost to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure including schools. We highlighted the critical situation for Gaza's children at a session of the UN Security Council which we co-called on 16 July, and at the International Development Committee on 16 July. We have provided £5.6 million to the Global Partnership for Education to support the educational and psychosocial needs of children and young people in Gaza and the West Bank. Our support to Education Cannot Wait is also supporting children's education and mental health via the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and other partners.