Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the International Court of Justice handing down its ruling in South Africa's case against Israel, what measures they will put in place to meet their international obligations under the Genocide Convention.

As a party to the Genocide Convention, the UK is fully committed to the prevention and punishment of genocide as appropriate under the Convention. We of course respect the role and independence of the International Court of Justice (ICJ). However we have stated that we have considerable concerns about this case, which is not helpful in the goal of achieving a sustainable ceasefire. Israel has the right to defend itself against Hamas in line with International Humanitarian Law (IHL), as we have said from the outset. Our view is that Israel's actions in Gaza cannot be described as a genocide, which is why we thought South Africa's decision to bring the case was wrong and provocative. We have long advocated for the release of hostages and the need to get more aid in. We are clear that an immediate pause is necessary to get aid in and hostages out, and then we want to build towards a sustainable, permanent ceasefire, without a return to the fighting.