Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Gaza: Humanitarian Situation

Tuesday 30 April 2024 · 8 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 8 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Minister stated the UK has tripled its aid commitment to Gaza in the past year.
  • The UK is pressing for the activation of the water pipeline to improve humanitarian conditions.
  • The Minister highlighted that a naval ship with 9.7 million of aid is standing by to assist Gaza.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Naseem Shah Lab Bradford West
Foreign Affairs
Context

The MP is concerned about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, including food and medical aid shortages.

Question

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.

Answer from Andrew Mitchell

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.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer does not specify what steps are being taken beyond general statements of increased aid.

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Q2 Mohammad Yasin Lab Bedford
NHS Foreign Affairs
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.

Question

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?

Answer from Andrew Mitchell

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.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer does not provide a clear commitment to restore funding but instead discusses ongoing efforts and recent improvements.

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Q3 Ian Levy
Ukraine
Context

The MP highlights the local community's support for Ukraine aid and asks about similar efforts for Gaza.

Question

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?

Answer from Andrew Mitchell

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.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer does not provide specific plans but rather acknowledges the need for support of NGOs and charities.

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Q4 Yasmin Qureshi Lab Bolton South and Walkden
Foreign Affairs
Context

The MP is concerned about the Israeli military's plans for a ground invasion of Rafah, which could lead to significant civilian casualties.

Question

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?

Answer from Andrew Mitchell

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.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer does not commit to pushing Biden or taking specific actions beyond acknowledging engagement.

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Q5 Naseem Shah Lab Bradford West
Foreign Affairs
Context

The MP is concerned about the potential for an Israeli ground invasion in Rafah and its impact on displaced Palestinians.

Question

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?

Answer from Andrew Mitchell

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.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer does not address moving the dial on ceasefire efforts or stopping civilian deaths but highlights ongoing aid delivery efforts.

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Q6 Kit Malthouse Con North West Hampshire
Asylum & Refugees
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.

Question

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?

Answer from Andrew Mitchell

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.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer does not provide a clear commitment or action plan for protection beyond an offer to investigate.

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Q7 Theresa Villiers Con
Context

The MP highlights the facilitation of aid into Gaza and asks about progress on hostage releases.

Question

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?

Answer from Andrew Mitchell

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.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer does not provide a timeline or specific actions for hostage releases but discusses needing breathing space.

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Q8 Wayne David Lab
Foreign Affairs
Context

The MP references the Colonna report and highlights other countries restoring their funding, asking again for Britain to do the same.

Question

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?

Answer from Andrew Mitchell

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.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer does not commit to restoring full funding but discusses ongoing review processes.

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