Gaza Humanitarian Situation 2024-07-30

2024-07-30

TAGS
Response quality

Questions & Answers

Q1 Partial Answer
Ruth Cadbury Lab
Brentford and Isleworth
Context
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is worsening with high rates of displacement and risk of famine. Recent assessments have found over 90% of the population displaced.
What steps he is taking to help improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza where almost 90% of the population has been displaced, and a recent assessment by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification found a risk of famine across the whole of Gaza?
The people of Gaza face a humanitarian catastrophe. Humanitarian aid is a moral necessity. Almost 90% of the population in Gaza have been displaced and the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification's recent assessment found a risk of famine across the whole of Gaza.
Assessment & feedback
Did not provide specific steps being taken to address the humanitarian crisis
Humanitarian Aid Is A Moral Necessity
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Q2 Partial Answer
Gordon McKee Lab
Glasgow South
Context
The volume of aid cargo entering Gaza has decreased by around 50% since April, while hospitals remain damaged or destroyed. The Foreign Secretary committed to resume United Nations Relief and Works Agency funding.
Since April, the volume of aid cargo entering Gaza has decreased by about 50%, at the same time as hospitals remain damaged or destroyed. Having resumed UNRWA funding, what steps are being taken to allow vital aid into Gaza?
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising this issue. We are deeply concerned at a number of the developments he mentions. The UK is providing, and will continue to provide, significant humanitarian support to Gaza. However, we are also clear that Israel must meet its commitment to “flood Gaza with aid”—that is vital.
Assessment & feedback
Did not outline specific urgent steps for this summer or mention UK arms sales to Israel
We Are Deeply Concerned
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Q3 Partial Answer
Richard Burgon Lab
Leeds East
Context
Oxfam reported that up to 7,000 people in Gaza could be killed or injured this summer, with a third of them being children. The Government resumed UNRWA funding.
Given the situation where up to 7,000 people in Gaza will face injury or death during parliamentary recess, what urgent steps will the Government take this summer including ending UK arms sales to Israel?
Too many people have died in Gaza and too little aid is getting in. We are clear that Israel must take concrete steps to protect civilians and aid workers, in accordance with international humanitarian law. This includes deconfliction between military and humanitarian operations.
Assessment & feedback
Did not outline specific urgent steps for this summer or mention UK arms sales to Israel
We Are Clear
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Q4 Partial Answer
Deirdre Costigan Lab
Ealing Southall
Context
The Government resumed UNRWA funding. Discussions have been held with the UNRWA Commissioner-General about maximising its impact.
What difference will the decision to restart UNRWA funding make to ordinary Palestinians, and what discussions has the Minister had with UNRWA's commissioner-general?
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising this matter because we are clear that UNRWA is the only humanitarian organisation able to operate at scale in Gaza. The UK confirmed it would resume funding to UNRWA, and I met UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini to understand more about the situation on the ground.
Assessment & feedback
Did not specify difference for Palestinian people or details of discussions
I Am Grateful
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Q5 Partial Answer
Laura Kyrke-Smith Lab
Aylesbury
Context
My constituents are concerned about the death and destruction in Gaza. Despite Israeli promises, repeated obstructions prevent lifesaving assistance from reaching those in need.
Despite Israeli promises to flood Gaza with aid, they continue to obstruct lifesaving assistance. What conversations have the Government had with Israel to ensure such obstacles are removed?
I know that my hon. Friend has a personal interest in this issue and experience of humanitarian work before coming to this place. When the Foreign Secretary was in Israel he pressed Prime Minister Netanyahu to open all border crossings, including Rafah, to facilitate a significant increase in aid.
Assessment & feedback
Did not specify specific conversations or actions taken beyond pressing for aid distribution
I Know That My Hon. Friend Has
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Q6 Partial Answer
Bambos Charalambous Lab
Southgate and Wood Green
Context
Al-Mawasi was designated as a humanitarian safe zone but multiple Israeli air strikes have killed civilians, wounded many more, and bombed aid compound facilities.
Despite Al-Mawasi being a designated humanitarian safe zone, there have been multiple Israeli air strikes resulting in casualties. What discussions has the Minister had with her Israeli counterpart to stop further attacks?
I know that this issue is of personal concern to my hon. Friend and that he has visited the region many times, for instance when he was the shadow Minister for the middle east. We are aware that about 90% of the population in Gaza have now been displaced.
Assessment & feedback
Did not specify discussions to stop attacks on Al-Mawasi
I Know That This Issue Is
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Q7 Partial Answer
Ruth Cadbury Lab
Brentford and Isleworth
Context
The World Health Organisation warned about the risk of polio spreading due to lack of sanitation and clean water, causing a humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The World Health Organisation has warned that the lack of sanitation and clean water caused by the humanitarian crisis in Gaza poses a real risk of polio spreading undetected among its people. Will the UK Government consider supporting a mass vaccination programme in Gaza?
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising this matter, which the Foreign Secretary and I discussed directly with Dr Ghebreyesus, the head of the World Health Organisation, yesterday. My hon. Friend is right about the severe concern about polio and the need for a vaccination scheme, and the World Health Organisation is working on such a scheme.
Assessment & feedback
Did not confirm UK support for a mass vaccination programme in Gaza
Under Review
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Q8 Partial Answer
Kit Malthouse Con
North West Hampshire
Context
There is concern about the humanitarian situation in the west bank, where populations are exposed to violence and theft of homes and land.
While the eyes of the world are rightly on the shocking, dystopian situation in Gaza, we should not forget the humanitarian situation in the west bank, where a largely defenceless population are being ever more persecuted and exposed to violence and are seeing their homes and land stolen. May we please have a comprehensive set of sanctions against violent settlers, the organisations that support them in their activities and those who are complicit, at a state level, in what they are doing?
I am grateful to the right hon. Member for raising this issue. The health and wellbeing of those in the west bank was another of the issues that I discussed with Commissioner-General Lazzarini of UNRWA, because we are concerned about it. As would be expected, we are keeping all sanctions regimes under review, including this one.
Assessment & feedback
Did not confirm a comprehensive set of sanctions will be introduced
Under Review
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Q9 Partial Answer
Al Pinkerton Lib Dem
Surrey Heath
Context
The Government have announced a strategic defence review, but there is concern about the complexities of the UK's global posture in the 21st century.
The Government have announced a strategic defence review, but the challenges faced by the UK in the mid-21st century are military-related, development-related and diplomacy-related. May I have an assurance that the Foreign Office will have a distinct role to play in the strategic defence review—especially in the light of the conversation that we have just had, which has shown the complexities of the UK's global posture in the 21st century?
I am grateful to the hon. Member for his point. Of course, all these issues are strongly related. We are absolutely determined to work with colleagues in Defence, as well as across the whole Government, so that we ensure that we are putting our country's interests first and, above all, protecting our security—the first responsibility of any Government.
Assessment & feedback
Did not provide specific assurance regarding Foreign Office's role in Strategic Defence Review
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Q10 Partial Answer
Greg Smith Con
Mid Buckinghamshire
Context
Hamas has been targeting Israel's Kerem Shalom goods crossing and is estimated to have spent $150 million on constructing terror networks.
In recent months, Hamas have targeted Israel's Kerem Shalom goods crossing with rockets and mortars to prolong the misery of their own people. They are also estimated to have spent $150 million on constructing their terror networks by misappropriating aid. Does the Minister accept that Hamas will always prioritise conflict with Israel over the wellbeing of their own citizens in Gaza, and that more steps need to be taken to stop the misappropriation of aid by Hamas?
I am grateful to the hon. Member for his question. Of course, aid materials must always be provided directly to those in need, particularly in a situation of humanitarian catastrophe, which is currently the case in Gaza. It is incredibly important that food and nutrition, clean water, other forms of sanitation, medicines and shelter are provided directly to those in need; it is absolutely fundamental that they must not be misappropriated.
Assessment & feedback
Did not accept Hamas's priorities or suggest specific steps against aid misappropriation
Response accuracy
Q11 Partial Answer
Brendan O'Hara SNP
Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber
Context
Israel defines its entire campaign as “defensive” despite the killing of many civilians.
Key to ending the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is stopping the sale of weapons to those who have shown that they are prepared to use them indiscriminately against civilians. It has been suggested that the Government will continue to sell defensive weapons, but given that Israel defines its entire campaign as “defensive”, how do they propose to tell us at the end of the review on international humanitarian law how many of the 40,000 civilians killed were killed with defensive weapons, as opposed to offensive weapons? On what legal basis would such a determination be made?
The hon. Member will be well aware that this is a legal process and has to be complied with. This Government are absolutely clear that we must act with integrity and ensure that we are following all the legal procedures, as the Foreign Secretary set out last week in the House and has set out this morning.
Assessment & feedback
Did not provide specific legal basis for weapon differentiation
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Q12 Partial Answer
Richard Foord Lib Dem
Honiton and Sidmouth
Context
The Secretary of State urged David Cameron to publish the FCDO's formal legal advice on whether Israel is breaching international humanitarian law in Gaza.
As shadow Foreign Secretary, the Secretary of State urged David Cameron to publish the FCDO's formal legal advice on whether Israel is breaching international humanitarian law in Gaza. Do the new ministerial team still think there is a compelling case for publishing the Government's legal advice, and will the Government be publishing it?
I am grateful to the hon. Member for his question. The Foreign Secretary has been crystal clear that he will be as transparent as he possibly can. He will ensure that Parliament is fully updated on these matters.
Assessment & feedback
Did not confirm whether legal advice will be published
Will Update Parliament
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Q13 Partial Answer
Jim Shannon DUP
Strangford
Context
There is a need to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza, which requires getting rid of Hamas who are considered murderers and terrorists.
I thank the Minister for that response. If we want to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza, it is quite clear what the free world has to do: get rid of Hamas, who are murderers and terrorists. They hide in schools and hospitals, and they hide among civilians. They are the people who are bringing death to Palestine. If we want to give Palestinians the humanitarian aid that we should give them, we have to get rid of Hamas.
Of course, this Government recognise that Hamas have used civilians as human shields. We are deeply concerned about the humanitarian situation, and I set out our response to that a few moments ago. We need to ensure that civilians are protected, and we will continue to press for that as a matter of absolute urgency.
Assessment & feedback
Did not address the specific ask regarding removal of Hamas
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