Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are taking action, with international partners, to dissuade the government of Israel from undertaking a military ground offensive in Rafah, Gaza.

We are clear that do not support a major operation in Rafah unless there is a very clear plan for how to protect people and save lives. We have not seen that plan so, in these circumstances, we do not support a major operation in Rafah.

The fastest way to end the conflict is to secure a deal which gets the hostages out and allows for a stop in the fighting in Gaza. We must then work with our international partners to turn that pause into a sustainable, permanent ceasefire.

We must remain focused on a long-term solution to this crisis - a political horizon for the Palestinians, providing a credible and irreversible pathway towards a two-state solution.

We have consistently made these points to Israel, at all levels.