Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Egypt about the closure of the Rafah crossing from Gaza.

The Minister for the Middle East and North Africa discussed the situation in Gaza with the Egyptian Foreign Minister in October, and officials in Cairo regularly raise the issue of Rafah crossing with the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, most recently on 10 January. The Minister also raised the issue of Palestinian Authority staff being withdrawn from the Rafah crossing with the Palestinian Head of Mission to London on 23 January. We continue to urge Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Egypt to work together to ensure a durable solution for Gaza.