Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Gaza: Humanitarian Situation

Tuesday 30 July 2024 · 13 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 10 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial steps include providing significant humanitarian support to Gaza and pressing Israel to open border crossings to facilitate aid.
  • The UK is clear that Israel must protect civilians and aid workers and deconflict military and humanitarian operations.
  • The UK Government is considering supporting a mass vaccination programme in Gaza to address the risk of polio spreading due to the humanitarian crisis.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Ruth Cadbury Lab Brentford and Isleworth
Foreign Affairs
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.

Question

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?

Answer from Anneliese Dodds

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.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific steps being taken to address the humanitarian crisis

How: Humanitarian Aid Is A Moral Necessity

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Q2 Gordon McKee Lab Glasgow South
NHS
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.

Question

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?

Answer from Anneliese Dodds

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.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not outline specific urgent steps for this summer or mention UK arms sales to Israel

How: We Are Deeply Concerned

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Q3 Richard Burgon Lab Leeds East
Foreign Affairs Parliamentary Procedure
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.

Question

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?

Answer from Anneliese Dodds

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.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not outline specific urgent steps for this summer or mention UK arms sales to Israel

How: We Are Clear

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Q4 Deirdre Costigan Lab Ealing Southall
Foreign Affairs
Context

The Government resumed UNRWA funding. Discussions have been held with the UNRWA Commissioner-General about maximising its impact.

Question

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?

Answer from Anneliese Dodds

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.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not specify difference for Palestinian people or details of discussions

How: I Am Grateful

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Q5 Laura Kyrke-Smith Lab Aylesbury
Foreign Affairs
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.

Question

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?

Answer from Anneliese Dodds

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.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not specify specific conversations or actions taken beyond pressing for aid distribution

How: I Know That My Hon. Friend Has

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Q6 Bambos Charalambous Lab Southgate and Wood Green
Foreign Affairs
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.

Question

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?

Answer from Anneliese Dodds

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.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not specify discussions to stop attacks on Al-Mawasi

How: I Know That This Issue Is

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Q7 Ruth Cadbury Lab Brentford and Isleworth
NHS Foreign Affairs
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.

Question

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?

Answer from Anneliese Dodds

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.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not confirm UK support for a mass vaccination programme in Gaza

How: Under Review

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Q8 Kit Malthouse Con North West Hampshire
Foreign Affairs
Context

There is concern about the humanitarian situation in the west bank, where populations are exposed to violence and theft of homes and land.

Question

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?

Answer from Anneliese Dodds

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.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not confirm a comprehensive set of sanctions will be introduced

How: Under Review

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Q9 Al Pinkerton Lib Dem Surrey Heath
Defence Foreign Affairs
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.

Question

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?

Answer from Anneliese Dodds

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.

Not addressed: Did not provide specific assurance regarding Foreign Office's role in Strategic Defence Review

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Q10 Greg Smith Con Mid Buckinghamshire
Foreign Affairs
Context

Hamas has been targeting Israel's Kerem Shalom goods crossing and is estimated to have spent $150 million on constructing terror networks.

Question

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?

Answer from Anneliese Dodds

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.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not accept Hamas's priorities or suggest specific steps against aid misappropriation

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Q11 Brendan O'Hara SNP Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber
Foreign Affairs
Context

Israel defines its entire campaign as “defensive” despite the killing of many civilians.

Question

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?

Answer from Anneliese Dodds

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.

Not addressed: Did not provide specific legal basis for weapon differentiation

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Q12 Richard Foord Lib Dem Honiton and Sidmouth
Foreign Affairs Religion & Faith
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.

Question

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?

Answer from Anneliese Dodds

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.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not confirm whether legal advice will be published

How: Will Update Parliament

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Q13 Jim Shannon DUP Strangford
Foreign Affairs
Context

There is a need to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza, which requires getting rid of Hamas who are considered murderers and terrorists.

Question

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.

Answer from Anneliese Dodds

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.

Not addressed: Did not address the specific ask regarding removal of Hamas

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