Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the presence of armed Israeli forces at St Joseph's hospital on 13 May, (2) the actions of the Israeli forces towards attendees of the funeral of Shireen Abu Aqleh, and (3) the confiscation of Palestinian flags by Israeli forces at the funeral.

During a call with the Israeli Ambassador on 19 May, Minister Milling made clear the UK's sadness at the recent death of Shireen Abu Aqleh and the deeply disturbing scenes at her funeral in Jerusalem. She urged a thorough, impartial and transparent investigation into the events. The UK Ambassador to Israel has reiterated the importance of an investigation with the Israeli authorities. We call for urgent steps to de-escalate tensions and for restraint in the use of force. The safety of journalists across the globe is vital and they must be protected when carrying out their critical work.