Gaza Humanitarian Situation 2024-04-30
2024-04-30
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP is concerned about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, including food and medical aid shortages.
What steps he is taking to help improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza. I am concerned about the lack of food and medical supplies reaching those in need.
We have trebled our aid commitment in the past year and we are doing all we can to get more aid to Gaza by land, air and sea.
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Assessment & feedback
The answer does not specify what steps are being taken beyond general statements of increased aid.
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP references the Colonna review which found no evidence supporting claims by the Israeli Government against UNRWA staff, and highlights other countries restoring their funding. He asks if Britain will do the same.
The Colonna review was given no evidence to back up claims by the Israeli Government that UNRWA staff were involved in the 7 October attacks. Other countries have already restored funding to the aid agency, so it can continue its work feeding tens of thousands of people who are starving in Gaza, including innocent babies who are dying without milk. Will the Minister commit to refunding today? Or will he continue to risk UK complicity in using famine as a weapon of war?
I have set out the process by which we will judge how and when to restore funding to UNRWA, but the situation has improved in recent weeks. The hon. Member will have seen that fuel for bakeries has been restored. We are pressing for the activation of the water pipeline and, over the past week, we have been averaging more than 200 trucks each day.
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Assessment & feedback
The answer does not provide a clear commitment to restore funding but instead discusses ongoing efforts and recent improvements.
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP highlights the local community's support for Ukraine aid and asks about similar efforts for Gaza.
When Putin invaded Ukraine, the people of Blyth, Cramlington and Seaton Valley came together and generously gave what they could spare. With help from local companies, such as Moody Logistics and Storage in Cramlington, we were able to ensure that aid reached those who had lost their homes and their belongings. What plans does my right hon. Friend's Department have in place to get aid from the UK to Gaza?
I pay tribute to the good people of Blyth, Cramlington and Seaton Valley for their generosity, and to my hon. Friend for helping to channel that goodwill so constructively. His constituents will want to support reputable non-governmental organisations and charities working to support humanitarian relief in Gaza.
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Assessment & feedback
The answer does not provide specific plans but rather acknowledges the need for support of NGOs and charities.
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP is concerned about the Israeli military's plans for a ground invasion of Rafah, which could lead to significant civilian casualties.
Israel has forced more than 1 million Palestinians to flee to Rafah, claiming it to be a safe zone, yet for months the Israeli military have been bombing Palestinians there relentlessly and, according to the UN, killing mostly women and children. Now it is planning a ground invasion that will lead to carnage. Does the Minister agree that President Biden could stop this with one phone call, and will he press him to do so?
President Biden has been very heavily engaged in this matter. As the hon. Member knows, both the American and British Governments have pressed Israel not to launch an all-out assault on Rafah for the reasons that she set out.
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Assessment & feedback
The answer does not commit to pushing Biden or taking specific actions beyond acknowledging engagement.
Response accuracy
Q5
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP is concerned about the potential for an Israeli ground invasion in Rafah and its impact on displaced Palestinians.
An Israel ground invasion in Rafah is probable within days, leading to 1.5 million displaced Palestinians with no safe place to shelter. Children in Gaza have been starved at the fastest rate that the world has ever seen, and Members across the House, including myself, have come here time and again asking for something to be done in terms of delivering aid and pushing for a ceasefire. Time and again, the Minister says that we are trying, trying, trying, but clearly trying is not working. What will the Government do to move the dial and stop children dying?
The hon. Member will have seen the 6 April maritime announcement and she will know that Britain is ramping up the delivery of aid by land, sea and air. She will, I hope, be aware that we have a naval ship standing by with £9.7 million of aid and logistics equipment.
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Assessment & feedback
The answer does not address moving the dial on ceasefire efforts or stopping civilian deaths but highlights ongoing aid delivery efforts.
Response accuracy
Q6
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP is concerned about the safety and security of a charity operating in Nur Shams refugee camp, which has been raided multiple times by Israeli forces.
As the Minister will know, it is not only Governments and NGOs supporting Palestinians across Israel, the west bank and Gaza, but a lot of charities. I have been contacted by one such charity, ABCD, which operates a centre for disabled Palestinian children in the Nur Shams refugee camp. It tells me that its centre has been raided and destroyed not once, but several times, by the Israeli army—not by settlers. What more can the Government do to protect the facilities and personnel of British charities operating in the Palestinian territories?
My right hon. Friend will know that we do everything that we can in that respect, but if he is able to give me some specific details about that particular charity and what has befallen it, I will look into it.
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Assessment & feedback
The answer does not provide a clear commitment or action plan for protection beyond an offer to investigate.
Response accuracy
Q7
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP highlights the facilitation of aid into Gaza and asks about progress on hostage releases.
The Prime Minister has identified getting aid in and getting hostages out as two key priorities for the UK Government. Israel is facilitating aid getting into Gaza by air, land and sea, with 468 trucks entering the area in a single day. We are seeing real progress on aid; when will we see progress on hostages, too?
My right hon. Friend is absolutely right. We need to see breathing space so that we can get the hostages out and more aid in; in spite of what she says, the aid that is getting in at the moment is not sufficient.
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Assessment & feedback
The answer does not provide a timeline or specific actions for hostage releases but discusses needing breathing space.
Response accuracy
Q8
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP references the Colonna report and highlights other countries restoring their funding, asking again for Britain to do the same.
Given that the Colonna report makes clear that donors should have confidence in UNRWA and that Australia, France, Germany, Sweden, Canada, Japan and Denmark have all restored funding, and with Gaza facing famine, I ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary again: when will the Government do what Labour has called for and restore full funding to UNRWA?
As I have set out, we are looking at all those reports and we will make a decision in our own time. Britain is not falling short in that respect, because we are currently fully funded on all the earlier commitments we made.
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Assessment & feedback
The answer does not commit to restoring full funding but discusses ongoing review processes.
Response accuracy