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 assessment he has made of the impact of Israeli military operations in Gaza on the ability of aid agencies to deliver essential humanitarian aid to civilians 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.
Written Evidence Dec. 18 2023
Inquiry: The UK’s engagement with the Middle East and North AfricaFound: Turkey also has pushed its own agenda, often in conflict with other regional powers.
Oral Evidence Dec. 04 2023
Inquiry: The UK’s engagement with the Middle East and North AfricaFound: has security problems in part of the Sinai, which Hamas helps abet.
Mentions:
1: Grant Shapps (Con - Welwyn Hatfield) Only as far back as 2015, they did not support Hamas. - Speech Link
2: John Healey (Lab - Wentworth and Dearne) We got 100 tonnes of aid to Turkey in the first 10 days after the earthquake last year. - Speech Link
3: Layla Moran (LD - Oxford West and Abingdon) Hamas is no friend to the Palestinian cause. - Speech Link
4: Bob Seely (Con - Isle of Wight) We have seen it with the abuse of Israeli women by Hamas, but Hamas are also increasingly intolerant - Speech Link
5: Andrew Mitchell (Con - Sutton Coldfield) To achieve that, we need Hamas to agree to release all the hostages. - Speech Link
Written Evidence Dec. 18 2023
Inquiry: The UK’s engagement with the Middle East and North AfricaFound: diplomatic response to natural disasters and conflicts in the region including the earthquakes in Syria/Turkey
Nov. 01 2023
Source Page: UK Minister for the Middle East visits Israel and the West BankFound: the United Arab Emirates on Monday for discussions on the crisis, following recent talks in Egypt, Turkey
Written Evidence Dec. 18 2023
Inquiry: The UK’s engagement with the Middle East and North AfricaFound: While Italy and Turkey have become central players in this country (owing to Italy’s colonial history
Mentions:
1: Leo Docherty (Con - Aldershot) Two weeks ago, he travelled to Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Qatar and Turkey, and last - Speech Link
2: Leo Docherty (Con - Aldershot) This means the Hamas leaders must leave Gaza and the attacks against Israel must end. - Speech Link
Mentions:
1: Michael Ellis (Con - Northampton North) Then there are China’s hard-oppressed Uyghur Muslims, and the wonderful Kurds being attacked by Turkey - Speech Link
2: Jamie Stone (LD - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) I also want to emphasise that the future of Gaza must not be about Hamas. - Speech Link
3: Tom Hunt (Con - Ipswich) Hamas must be destroyed. Over four years ago, I went to a kibbutz on the border with Gaza. - Speech Link
4: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Lab - Slough) However, neither the Israeli Government nor Hamas have agreed to an immediate ceasefire. - Speech Link
Mentions:
1: Cat Smith (Lab - Lancaster and Fleetwood) which the Gaza family scheme could be modelled.Since 7 October, which saw 1,143 people murdered by Hamas - Speech Link
2: Andy Slaughter (Lab - Hammersmith) the normal way.”Then it helpfully tells people that the visa application centres in“Egypt, Jordan and Turkey - Speech Link
3: Tom Pursglove (Con - Corby) The barbaric attack perpetrated on 7 October by Hamas was an affront to humanity. - Speech Link
4: Peter Bottomley (Con - Worthing West) Government responses to the petition, they said that applications could be made through “Egypt, Jordan and Turkey - Speech Link