Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Gaza: Sustainable Ceasefire

Tuesday 12 March 2024 · 6 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 6 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Minister has discussed with US counterpart the need for a humanitarian pause and a sustainable ceasefire.
  • Palestinian Authority requires reform, according to the Minister, who is engaging with the PA and regional leaders.
  • UK Government is actively pushing for a humanitarian pause and addressing the plight of women in Gaza.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Gavin Newlands SNP
Foreign Affairs
Context

The discussion is about the need for a UN Security Council resolution to establish a ceasefire in Gaza.

Question

What discussions has he had with his US counterpart on a potential UN Security Council resolution on a ceasefire in Gaza?

Answer from Andrew Mitchell

We need a humanitarian pause to get aid in and hostages out, leading to a sustainable, permanent ceasefire. We are pressing for this with Israel, regional leaders and our wider international partners, including the United States.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific details about discussions or proposed resolution with US counterpart

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Q2 Desmond Swayne Con New Forest West
Foreign Affairs
Context

The discussion is about the necessity of thoroughgoing reform in the Palestinian Authority to ensure stability and peace.

Question

Given the importance of their role, does the Palestinian Authority require thoroughgoing reform?

Answer from Andrew Mitchell

My right hon. Friend is right, and that is why both the Foreign Secretary and the noble Lord Ahmad have been in discussions with the Palestinian Authority and the wider regional community—to try to ensure that when the moment comes, as I set out in my response to the hon. Member for Caerphilly (Wayne David), the Palestinian Authority are able to seize it.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not confirm or deny the necessity of reform, only stated discussions were ongoing

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Q3 David Duguid Con
Foreign Affairs
Context

The discussion is about the conditions necessary for a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza.

Question

Does he agree that an unsustainable ceasefire would only make peace harder to achieve, and that a humanitarian pause could help build the confidence required for a stable ceasefire?

Answer from Andrew Mitchell

My hon. Friend has put his finger on a critical point. We do not believe that calling for a general and immediate ceasefire and hoping that it would somehow become permanent will work. A ceasefire will not last if the hostages are still being held. We cannot just will it if neither side wants it, and the conditions need to be in place for it not to collapse within days.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not confirm or deny the idea of a humanitarian pause, only stated current conditions make ceasefire impossible

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Q4 Gavin Newlands SNP
Community Security Foreign Affairs
Context

The discussion is about the UK Government's consistent failure to take decisive action in condemning Israeli actions in Gaza.

Question

Some of these answers are meaningless, supine nonsense. The Minister has abstained from voting on UN Security Council ceasefire resolutions. Will he guarantee that the UK will work with partners to draft a resolution reflecting this House's will?

Answer from Andrew Mitchell

On the hon. Gentleman's final point, which I think was the question, the answer is yes, but in respect of everything else he said, the answer is no.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not address the criticisms or provide specific details about drafting a resolution

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Q5 Seema Malhotra Labour (Co-op) Feltham and Heston
Ukraine
Context

The discussion is about the urgency of a humanitarian ceasefire and the provision of necessary aid to women giving birth without proper conditions.

Question

Women are giving birth without chairs or medication. Aid agencies have called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. How urgently is the Government pushing for this with both sides?

Answer from Andrew Mitchell

I can reassure the hon. Lady that on both of those two points—pressing for a pause and pressing all the regional powers on what comes next—the Government are actively and continually engaged. On her first point about the terrible plight of women in Gaza, that is why the British Government gave nearly £5 million just a week or so ago specifically to try to alleviate the desperate circumstances in Gaza that so many women find themselves in.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide details on specific actions taken beyond funding

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Q6 Alyn Smith
Foreign Affairs
Context

The discussion is about the ongoing humanitarian crisis and the need to fund UNRWA, which disburse aid.

Question

UNRWA is best positioned to distribute aid. Given recent funding suspensions, what further reassurance does the UK need to ensure timely funding?

Answer from Andrew Mitchell

I do not agree with the hon. Gentleman's last point. It is true that Canada, Sweden, Spain and the EU, with conditions, expect to be able to resume funding, but as I mentioned earlier, America, Germany, Australia, Italy, Finland, the Netherlands and Switzerland take the same view as us. To the substantive points he makes, we are in discussions with the leader of UNRWA, Mr Lazzarini, and we are awaiting the report from the former French Foreign Minister and the report from the UN. We hope that as a result of those reports, sufficient change will be secured, so that we can continue to fund UNRWA, but the hon. Gentleman should be in no doubt that we have fully funded UNRWA into the next financial year.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not commit to resuming funding without conditions or specify timeline

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