Asked by: Nicola Richards (Conservative - West Bromwich East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps his Department is taking to help secure the release of Israeli hostages.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The Foreign Secretary met the Sharabi and Popplewell families on 16 January to hear about their relatives' horrendous ordeals at the hands of Hamas. The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary also met with hostage families on 21 January.
We will continue to do all we can to secure the release of all hostages. We need a humanitarian pause now to allow for the release of hostages. We will continue to do all we can.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps he is taking to help secure the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK government has been working with partners across the region to secure the release of hostages, including British nationals and their families. Release of hostages was a priority for the recent Foreign Secretary visit to the Middle East where he held high level talks with regional leaders and met with hostage families. We are calling for an immediate humanitarian pause now to get aid in and remaining hostages out, and as a vital step towards building a sustainable, permanent ceasefire. To achieve that, Hamas must agree to the release of all hostages.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what (a) diplomatic, (b) operational and (c) other steps his Department is taking to help secure the release of British citizens being held hostage in Gaza.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Our full sympathies are with families affected by the horrific terrorist attacks committed by Hamas. Since the attacks on 7 October, we have worked tirelessly to support the British people affected. Intensive diplomatic efforts are ongoing with the Qataris, Israelis and others to secure the release of all hostages. We will keep working until all the hostages are freed and returned to their families. We are not commenting on individual cases. The Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary have met with the family members of hostages to directly hear their concerns both in Israel and in the UK and will continue to do so.
Asked by: David Lammy (Labour - Tottenham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps his Department is taking to provide consular support to the families of British nationals held hostage in Gaza.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government's thoughts are with those families who are facing unimaginable uncertainty and fear because of these despicable attacks and kidnappings. We are not commenting on specific numbers or individual cases. The safety of all British nationals continues to be our utmost priority and we continue to do everything we can to secure the release of all hostages, including working with Israeli counterparts and international partners at the highest levels.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps his Department is taking with international counterparts to encourage the safe release by Hamas of all hostages.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government's thoughts are with those families who are facing unimaginable uncertainty and fear because of these despicable attacks and kidnappings and the safety of all British nationals continues to be our utmost priority. We are using all the tools available to us to secure the release of hostages and intensive international negotiations are ongoing. We continue to call for humanitarian pauses that allow enough time for hostages to be released and we will continue to work closely with our United Nations Security Council partners following the passing of the resolution on 15 November which delivered on the UK's priorities, including the release of hostages. The Prime Minister has also met several families of those believed to have been taken hostage, both in Israel and in the UK, and we are assisting the families of several individuals in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Mentions:
1: Philip Davies (CON - Shipley) response, HC 1596, to the sixth report of the Foreign Affairs Committee, “Stolen years: combatting state hostage - Speech Link
2: Alicia Kearns (CON - Rutland and Melton) taking is, as we all know, the action of failing, autocratic and desperate states. - Speech Link
Written Evidence Dec. 18 2023
Inquiry: The UK’s engagement with the Middle East and North AfricaFound: Concurrently, Iran has consistently wielded hostage-taking as a strategic tool in its foreign policy
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what actions he is taking to provide support to British nationals with family members held hostage in Gaza.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Our full sympathies are with families affected by the horrific terrorist attacks committed by Hamas. Since the attacks on 7 October, we have worked tirelessly to support the British people affected. Intensive diplomatic efforts are ongoing with the Qataris, Israelis and others to secure the release of all hostages.
The Foreign Secretary met British nationals with family members held hostage, and other families with British links, on Monday 4 December. He also met with family members on his visit to Israel. The Foreign Secretary and other Ministers will continue to meet with and support family members.
Mentions:
1: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con - Life peer) Of course, we have met consistently with hostage families. - Speech Link
2: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con - Life peer) I have reiterated our shock, horror and abhorrence at the reports about UNRWA, and UNRWA is taking action - Speech Link
Mentions:
1: None Only information relating to hostage rescue will be passed to the relevant authorities responsible for - Speech Link
2: Lord Coaker (Lab - Life peer) We learned earlier this week that unarmed military surveillance will begin support for hostage rescue - Speech Link
3: Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton (Con - Life peer) If not, what action are we taking to ensure that they do? - Speech Link