Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what progress has been made on diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza conflict and the release of hostages since the Prime Minister spoke to Benjamin Netanyahu on 20 August.

Following the Prime Minister's conversation with Prime Minister Netanyahu on 20 August, the UK has been working tirelessly towards its priority of ending this conflict and securing the safe release of hostages still cruelly detained by Hamas since day one. The situation on the ground remains intolerable, and the war must end now.

The Prime Minister met President Biden in Washington on 13 September where they reiterated UK and US calls for a ceasefire that will enable the release of the hostages. We welcome the efforts of our partners in Qatar, Egypt and the United States, and fully endorse their joint statement calling for the immediate resumption of ceasefire negotiations and a hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas. We are urging all sides to show flexibility. Both the Foreign Secretary and Minister Falconer have held meetings with the families of hostages with links to the UK and reiterated our commitment to using all diplomatic avenues to secure their release.