Mentions:
1: Rishi Sunak (CON - Richmond (Yorks)) I have spoken today with the leaders of Turkey and, previously, Egypt, and I will speak to others in - Speech Link
2: Rishi Sunak (CON - Richmond (Yorks)) , and with Hamas alone. - Speech Link
3: Rishi Sunak (CON - Richmond (Yorks)) Gentleman that Hamas are the entity responsible for the suffering we are seeing, and Hamas alone. - Speech Link
4: Rehman Chishti (CON - Gillingham and Rainham) is who replaces Hamas in Gaza. - Speech Link
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 he is taking with his international counterparts to help ensure the safe and unimpeded entry of humanitarian aid to Gaza in accordance with humanitarian principles.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is calling for immediate unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza so that essential aid can reach civilian populations including food, water, fuel and medical supplies. The UK is also calling on all parties to protect border crossings to support safe humanitarian access and mitigate harm to civilians. The FCDO is actively engaging with the international humanitarian system (including Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs), Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), UN agencies, Civil Society Organisations) to address the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
On the 16 October, the Prime Minister announced £10 million in humanitarian funding for civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) and on 23 October a further £20 million, in response to the escalating conflict. This funding will allow trusted partners, including key UN agencies, to provide essential relief items and services. These could include food, water and emergency shelter, depending on the needs on the ground. The UK is also exploring options for moving humanitarian supplies closer to the region and is liaising with aid agencies in the region to ensure relief supplies can be distributed as quickly and effectively as possible.
On 19 October, the Foreign Secretary travelled to the region where he met leaders in Egypt, Turkey and Qatar and pushed for agreement on humanitarian access to Gaza, the release of British hostages and foreign nationals, and securing safe passage for British Nationals to leave Gaza. The UK will remain committed to mitigating the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza and calling for international humanitarian law to be respected, while standing alongside the people of Israel against the terrorist group Hamas.
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 steps his Department has taken to provide humanitarian support to Israel since the start of the terrorist attacks on 7 October 2023.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is calling for immediate unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza so that essential aid can reach civilian populations including food, water, fuel and medical supplies. The UK is also calling on all parties to protect border crossings to support safe humanitarian access and mitigate harm to civilians. The FCDO is actively engaging with the international humanitarian system (including Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs), Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), UN agencies, Civil Society Organisations) to address the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
On the 16 October, the Prime Minister announced £10 million in humanitarian funding for civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) and on 23 October a further £20 million, in response to the escalating conflict. This funding will allow trusted partners, including key UN agencies, to provide essential relief items and services. These could include food, water and emergency shelter, depending on the needs on the ground. The UK is also exploring options for moving humanitarian supplies closer to the region and is liaising with aid agencies in the region to ensure relief supplies can be distributed as quickly and effectively as possible.
On 19 October, the Foreign Secretary travelled to the region where he met leaders in Egypt, Turkey and Qatar and pushed for agreement on humanitarian access to Gaza, the release of British hostages and foreign nationals, and securing safe passage for British Nationals to leave Gaza. The UK will remain committed to mitigating the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza and calling for international humanitarian law to be respected, while standing alongside the people of Israel against the terrorist group Hamas.
Oct. 23 2023
Source Page: Extra £20m in humanitarian aid doubles UK support to Palestinian civiliansFound: the Prime Minister last week and brings to £30 million the total donated by the UK to the OPTs since Hamas
Oct. 16 2023
Source Page: PM statement to the House of Commons on the latest situation in Israel and Gaza: 16 October 2023Found: Hamas is using innocent Palestinian people as human shields – with the tragic loss of more than 2,600
Asked by: Joanna Cherry (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations to the Israeli authorities on lifting restrictions to (a) water, (b) food, (c) fuel and (d) electricity in Gaza.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is calling for immediate unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza so that essential aid can reach civilian populations including food, water, fuel and medical supplies. The UK is also calling on all parties to protect border crossings to support safe humanitarian access and mitigate harm to civilians. The FCDO is actively engaging with the international humanitarian system (including intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organisations, UN agencies, civil society organisations) to address the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
On the 16 October, the Prime Minister announced £10 million in humanitarian funding for civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) and on 23 October a further £20 million, in response to the escalating conflict. This funding will allow trusted partners, including key UN agencies, to provide essential relief items and services. These could include food, water and emergency shelter, depending on the needs on the ground. The UK is also exploring options for moving humanitarian supplies closer to the region and is liaising with aid agencies in the region to ensure relief supplies can be distributed as quickly and effectively as possible.
Both the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary have emphasised the importance of taking all possible measures to protect innocent civilians and underlined the importance of safe humanitarian access to Gaza in their discussions with their Israeli counterparts. On 19 October, the Foreign Secretary travelled to the region where he met leaders in Egypt, Turkey and Qatar and pushed for agreement on humanitarian access to Gaza, the release of British hostages and foreign nationals, and securing safe passage for British Nationals to leave Gaza. The UK will remain committed to mitigating the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza and calling for international humanitarian law to be respected, while standing alongside the people of Israel against the terrorist group Hamas.
Mentions:
1: Lord Grabiner (XB - Life peer) Hamas is fully operational. - Speech Link
2: Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (DUP - Life peer) Either Israel will defeat and wipe out Hamas or Hamas will continue to destroy Israel. - Speech Link
3: Baroness Smith of Newnham (LD - Life peer) I was in Turkey at the time, flying back that morning. I woke to the news of the attacks on Israel. - Speech Link
4: Lord Collins of Highbury (Lab - Life peer) Hamas wants Jews to suffer. Hamas wants the Palestinian people to share in the pain. - Speech Link
Feb. 20 2024
Source Page: First Minister meeting with President Erdogan of Turkey during Cop 28: FOI releaseFound: First Minister meeting with President Erdogan of Turkey during Cop 28: FOI release
Written Evidence Dec. 18 2023
Inquiry: The UK’s engagement with the Middle East and North AfricaFound: It was within this radical political environment that Hamas launched the largest scale attack on
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on the humanitarian impact of the Israeli Government's evacuation order issued on 12 October 2023 to civilians in the north of Gaza.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is calling for immediate unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza so that essential aid can reach civilian populations including food, water, fuel and medical supplies. The UK is also calling on all parties to protect border crossings to support safe humanitarian access and mitigate harm to civilians. The FCDO is actively engaging with the international humanitarian system (including intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organisations, UN agencies, civil society organisations) to address the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
On the 16 October, the Prime Minister announced £10 million in humanitarian funding for civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) and on 23 October a further £20 million, in response to the escalating conflict. This funding will allow trusted partners, including key UN agencies, to provide essential relief items and services. These could include food, water and emergency shelter, depending on the needs on the ground. The UK is also exploring options for moving humanitarian supplies closer to the region and is liaising with aid agencies in the region to ensure relief supplies can be distributed as quickly and effectively as possible.
Both the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary have emphasised the importance of taking all possible measures to protect innocent civilians and underlined the importance of safe humanitarian access to Gaza in their discussions with their Israeli counterparts. On 19 October, the Foreign Secretary travelled to the region where he met leaders in Egypt, Turkey and Qatar and pushed for agreement on humanitarian access to Gaza, the release of British hostages and foreign nationals, and securing safe passage for British Nationals to leave Gaza. The UK will remain committed to mitigating the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza and calling for international humanitarian law to be respected, while standing alongside the people of Israel against the terrorist group Hamas.