Gaza: Humanitarian Situation

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The Shadow Minister questions why senior officials are not making statements. She urges the Government to push for a cessation of hostilities, release hostages, and ensure aid reaches those in need without further displacement. Concerns about disease spread and winter conditions are raised. The MP calls for faster humanitarian aid distribution and coordination efforts like appointing a coordinator.

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The MP supports the Government's efforts but suggests a permanent end to violence requires recognition of Israel’s international boundaries by its neighbours and cessation of aggressive settler activity.

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Asked about the resumption of Israeli offensive in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis. Criticised UK Government for not officially recognising Palestine.

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Proposed using RAF cargo planes to parachute food and medicines into Gaza.

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Asked about when Foreign Secretary would address the House regarding Gaza situation.

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Blamed Hamas for lack of two-state solution, condemned its violence and sexual abuse.

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Asked if recognising Palestinian statehood would give Palestinians hope for a two-state solution.

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Asked who would remove Hamas from control in Gaza.

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Condemned extreme violence by Hamas but asked what resources are being used to achieve a two-state solution.

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Asked the Minister to condemn violence against women by Hamas.

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Inquired about UK's actions as a permanent member of the UN Security Council to end bloodshed.

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Called on UK to lead at the UN Security Council for a ceasefire and humanitarian assistance.

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Asked what will remain of Gaza after ongoing bombings, questioning who would govern it.

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I welcome the Government’s support for the extension of the humanitarian pauses, so that more aid can get into Gaza and more lives can be saved. May I ask the Minister about post-conflict governance in Gaza? Fatah are not Hamas, and Hamas are not Fatah, clearly—by definition. Fatah are marginally better in the eyes of some Palestinians, but when they have gone to the ballot box, the Palestinians have not voted for Fatah; they have voted for others. I notice that there have been a lot of high-level diplomatic visits to the senior leadership of Fatah. May I encourage the Government to perhaps look more widely at who might form the Government of Gaza in the future, so that the UK does not repeat the mistakes of the past and Fatah do not return to office only to be thrown out years later and perhaps replaced by a new Hamas?

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Like many other Members, I have constituents who are British citizens and whose families are trapped in Gaza and desperate for humanitarian visas. One constituent who wrote to me at the weekend said that her 79-year-old mother had been displaced nine times and was now in Rafah. She and her brothers and sisters, who are British citizens and senior professionals, say that they do not want state funds because they can support their family, but surely they can bring their family—my constituent’s 79-year-old mother, her sister and her sister’s six-month-old baby—to the United Kingdom in order to look after them. What can I tell these people about humanitarian visas, and will the Minister lean on the Home Office to address the question of issuing humanitarian visas?

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With the humanitarian pause now closed, the nightmare is back for the remaining hostages and their families, for the Palestinians in desperate need of aid, and also for all citizens on both sides who are fearful of what falls from the skies. However, with no timeline and no clear plan, the next chapter is likely to be darker and more deadly. Does my hon. Friend agree that Israel will not, indeed cannot, resolve the humanitarian, governance and security issues alone? The international community has a vital role to play, not least to avoid escalation, so would the UK consider co-hosting an international summit with the United States and other stakeholders to begin the discussions that will start to resolve the bigger issues?

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What I want, what my constituents want and what the whole country wants is to stop killing children, stop killing civilians. They do not know who is the best person or group of people to do that, but for God’s sake, someone stop this killing of children.

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Despite the humanitarian pause, the majority—137 hostages—are still held by the terrorists in Gaza. Of those, two are children, 10 are over 75 and 20 are female, and there are 11 foreign nationals. Clearly the negotiations with these terrorists broke down over the weekend, so what action is the FCDO taking to ensure that the hostages are freed and returned to their families?

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The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is unspeakable, with 1.8 million people now displaced, 33,000 injured—and the number of hospital beds down to about 1,400 and dropping—and more than 15,000 dead. My constituent Noura has lost her brother and nephew, who were blown up in their home after they went back when they thought it was safe to do so. Her sister-in-law has lost her limbs, and two other children are in hospital in intensive care. I need to ask the Minister these questions. What is the plan for humanitarian visas? What is the plan for safe zones, and how serious is it? What is the plan for people who have lost their homes, their family members, and their limbs? What is the plan, seriously, to work with international allies towards a permanent ceasefire, the release of hostages, and a proper political solution?

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The sexual violence meted out by Hamas on 7 October was horrendous. In the second half of last month, a number of Members on both sides of the House received details passed on by a doctor in Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, who said that three of his children and three of his grandchildren were among the 45 men, women and children in his house who had all been destroyed that afternoon while he was working a hospital shift. We are piling misery on misery, so as one former infantry soldier to another, I ask my hon. Friend to make sure that the British Government renew their plea for the greatest possible precision in pursuit of the terrorists so that we do not lose more civilian lives in that way.

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Eight weeks after the unjustifiable murder of Jewish people in Israel and the countless rapes of Israeli and Jewish women, is the Minister disappointed that the United Nations women’s group made the most facile and mealy-mouthed statement that did not even use the word “rape” in describing what had happened? Will he use his and the Government’s influence to draw to the attention of the United Nations the importance of getting on side on this issue and condemning sexual violence against women and the rape of women? Just because they are Jews does not mean that they do not matter, and that point should be made to the United Nations over and over again.

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The more details we learn of the barbaric attacks of 7 October and the treatment of the victims, especially the women, the more horrific it becomes. One can only imagine the sheer anguish that the families of the victims go through on a daily basis as more information comes out, so can my hon. Friend tell me what humanitarian support is being provided to the families of the victims of Hamas?

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I am sorry, but I must press the Minister because I do not feel that he has answered the question on what the Government’s strategy is, particularly the political strategy. We all feel this so strongly: no child should ever be the target of a terrorist or in any conflict, so what is the Government’s political strategy to protect the lives of children?

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I welcome the Minister’s growing success in getting aid into Gaza and the tripling of UK aid, but even as he works urgently to get aid to the neediest civilians of Gaza in the shortest possible time, will the Government redouble their efforts to bring about a diplomatic solution, perhaps using a contact group, in order that we can grow the humanitarian pauses into a just and lasting peace and a two-state solution?

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What actions have the Government implemented to integrate their approach to preventing atrocities into the UK’s foreign and development policy? How have they involved the Office for Conflict, Stabilisation and Mediation’s mass atrocity prevention hub in risk assessing Israel’s actions in Gaza?

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The Committee to Protect Journalists has reported that 57 Palestinian journalists have been killed in Gaza since October 7th, the highest number recorded by them since they began tracking this statistic in 1992. Does Carmichael not think that this demonstrates the wholly indiscriminate nature of the actions taken by the Israeli Defence Forces? Will Docherty urge the Netanyahu Government to recognise and address the complete unacceptability of these actions?

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Jones has received emails from constituents condemning the ongoing killing of innocent Palestinians in Gaza and calling for an end to violence. She asks Docherty to condemn acts of violence and extremism by Israeli settlers in the west bank, urging accountability and condemnation of extremist rhetoric.

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Over 15,000 civilians have been killed in Gaza. Despite this, Israel's military operations continue unabated following a pause in fighting. What specific requests are the Government making to their Israeli counterparts to halt these actions? Does Docherty believe that allowing disproportionate and indiscriminate destruction of civilian areas is justified?

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Leadbeater echoes calls for a long-term political solution and criticises the international community’s reluctance to address this conflict. She warns that Israel’s actions may be in breach of international law, urging Docherty to reinforce these warnings. She also questions whether sending texts or QR codes advising evacuations is sufficient when there is no internet or power.

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Begum highlights the ongoing collective punishment of Palestinian civilians, especially women and children, described by the UN as unprecedented. She asks Docherty if there is any limit to the number of Palestinians that can be killed before a permanent ceasefire is called for. Begum also questions what the long-term plan for Gaza is.

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Corbyn accuses Israel of undertaking an act of cleansing the entire population of Gaza, which is illegal under international law. He questions Israel's long-term objective and whether it involves expelling the Gazan population into Egypt.

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Elliott asks when the British Government will condemn the murder of innocent Palestinian children. She cites 15,000 deaths so far and questions why there has not been a definitive call for an end to this conflict.

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Eshalomi references Jason Lee from Save the Children, describing the impact of this conflict on children in Gaza. She asks if working towards a definitive ceasefire is essential for sustainable peace.

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Grady asks if the UK Government will contribute to an International Criminal Court investigation into possible breaches of international humanitarian law in Israel and Palestine.

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Hussain describes the fate of four premature babies left behind after a hospital evacuation by Israeli military forces. He asks how Docherty can justify that a humanitarian pause helped these infants.

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Efford accepts that Hamas's infrastructure needs to be dismantled but questions if unrelenting bombing is justified. He asks Docherty if the Government has satisfied themselves about Israeli bombing’s precision.

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Qureshi quotes the UN Secretary-General, describing unprecedented killing of civilians in Gaza. She provides statistics on deaths, injuries, and displacement, asking when the Government will call for a definitive ceasefire.

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I am a strong advocate of a full and proper ceasefire as a prelude to a wider political process. However, work has to be done to create the conditions for a ceasefire, including the potential provision of security guarantees. What plans do the Government have to discuss with their international partners the creation of some form of peacekeeping or monitoring presence, either on the basis of the United Nations or some form of ad hoc arrangement, in order to provide some form of confidence-building measures?

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I want to see an end to the violence in Gaza, which is what I recently voted for, along with Labour colleagues. After the end of the fragile ceasefire last week, we desperately need the UK Government to work with international allies and push for peace, with the release of all hostages and an end to the killing of thousands of innocent Palestinians. As winter sets in, does the Minister share my concerns about a potential outbreak of cholera and other waterborne diseases, and the risk of starvation and dehydration? What steps are the Government taking to avert that ongoing crisis?

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On 30 October, the IDF’s evacuation order directed Gaza’s civilians southward, triggering mass internal displacement that the IDF said was for their own safety. On 1 December, the IDF ordered people to leave districts in Khan Yunis, where many had gone for their own safety, saying they were in a “dangerous combat zone”. Given that the IDF military action now stretches from Gaza City in the north to Rafah in the south, does the Minister agree with the UN’s Volker Türk that “there is no safe place in Gaza”, and that only a permanent ceasefire can end this collective punishment of the Palestinians?

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Allegations of breaches of international humanitarian law should always be treated with the utmost seriousness. Assessing specific allegations is the proper task of lawyers in competent international courts. Does the Minister recognise, with Labour, that the International Criminal Court’s jurisdiction must address the conduct of all parties in Gaza?

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As the Israeli authorities are now bombing south Gaza—the very area they asked civilians to reach in order to be safe—does the Minister agree that the supply of arms to the Israeli Government must be suspended, given that serious violations amounting to crimes under international law are being committed?

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The United Nations Children’s Fund says that Gaza is the most dangerous place in the world to be a child. France has offered places in its hospitals to treat the most severely injured children. Will the Minister now make a similar offer to the injured children of Gaza?

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We know that more than 15,000 Palestinians have been killed, 70% of whom are women and children, and there are still thousands unaccounted for under the rubble. The events of the last two days demonstrate that a pause in fighting was never going to be sufficient. I ask the Minister what on earth it will take for his Government to call for a permanent ceasefire on all sides in order to prevent the bombardment of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure, including not only its hospitals and schools—or what is left of them—but its water facilities.

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I must say that the Minister comes across as a passive observer while the further horror unfolds. I wish he would use his agency and his role, because 1.8 million people in Gaza have been forcibly displaced. People were told to go south to avoid the bombing, but now Israel is indiscriminately bombing areas there. The UN says that “there is no safe place in Gaza.” Above all, this is a war on children. How many more children have to die before the Government add their name to the growing list of countries around the world calling for an immediate and sustained ceasefire?

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Surely the events of the weekend have shown that a temporary pause or cessation of hostilities is just not enough, and that what we need is a permanent ceasefire, which is what many people, including the British public as a whole, want to see. They want to see the release of hostages and a sustainable, credible political process so that we have a safe and secure Palestinian state alongside a safe and secure Israeli state, but it has come across in the statement that the Government have absolutely no plan. How many UK citizens and UK visa holders are still awaiting evacuation from Gaza?

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Without a ceasefire or truce in place, there is no safe zone in Gaza. I have expressed concerns before about the inadequacy of Al-Mawasi as a safe zone without any infrastructure or ability to get aid to innocent civilians. Given that there seems to be no place for people to go and no hope for innocent civilians, does the Minister share my worry that the constant bombardment will drive the besieged people of Gaza into the arms of extremists, and what representations are the Government making to the Israeli Government to express those concerns?

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I accept that Hamas are a terrorist organisation, but children, journalists, aid workers and innocent civilians have died and continue to be under threat in Gaza. There is now a potential outbreak of airborne and waterborne diseases. Surely it is now time for the UK Government to finally call for a ceasefire as they work towards the release of all hostages and a political peace process.

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We all want the killing to stop, and if we get to a point where there is an end to the violence on a long-term basis, what guarantees can we obtain from the UK Government that the many people who have been displaced will be allowed to return and that there will be sufficient infrastructure in place to ensure that they have something to return to?

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Madam Deputy Speaker: “A night of utterly relentless bombardments”— the worst of the war so far. Those are the words of a UNICEF spokesperson this morning in Khan Yunis in the south of Gaza, where 1.8 million Palestinians are now trapped as Israeli bombs rain down on them. They were ordered to flee the north, and they are now being slaughtered in the south. Nowhere is safe in Gaza. As even UN experts warn of the grave risk of genocide, the UK Government continue to give their full support to Israel, calling for pauses in the slaughter but not a permanent ceasefire and an end to the slaughter. Is the Minister happy to be part of a Government so deeply complicit in the horrors being inflicted on the Palestinian people?

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Many of us absolutely recognise Israel’s right to defend itself, and that Hamas and their approach are a barrier to a lasting peace solution, but we also absolutely despair that the Government’s calls for restraint are being so ignored by the Israeli Government. Does the Minister agree that the international community needs to make it absolutely clear to every combatant in the conflict that the International Criminal Court is watching and people will be held to account for their conduct? His saying, “We call for humanitarian law to be followed” is simply not enough. People will be held to account for their conduct in this war.

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The humanitarian situation in Gaza is escalating, with a rising disease burden. The MP asks what discussions the Minister has had with international bodies to put in place a ceasefire and improve medical support.

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Many constituents ask the MP to urge the Government to take action towards securing a ceasefire in Gaza. The MP asks what recent discussions the Foreign Secretary has had to encourage Israel to comply with international law.

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In Gaza, civilians are facing a humanitarian catastrophe. The MP asks for more detail on what the UK Government is doing to urge Israel not to besiege or blockade Gaza and protect innocent lives.