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Gaza Healthcare System
24 February 2026
Lead MP
Simon Opher
Stroud
Lab
Responding Minister
Hamish Falconer
Tags
Foreign Affairs
Word Count: 13106
Other Contributors: 19
At a Glance
Simon Opher raised concerns about gaza healthcare system in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
I urge the Minister to work with allies to investigate and document attacks on healthcare workers worldwide and ensure perpetrators face prosecution. I also ask for the immediate reopening of the humanitarian medical corridor, allowing critically ill patients access to East Jerusalem hospitals. Additionally, I request urgent action to prevent the deregistration of 37 international NGOs currently supporting Gaza's health system. The UK Government must interrogate Israel's actions, lift its blockade on medical aid, allow reconstruction of hospitals, permit safe passage for patients, and release detained healthcare workers. The Minister should provide clarity on the use of UK-supplied arms in strikes against health facilities and commit to enforcing consequences under international humanitarian law.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
I am concerned about the deliberate targeting of healthcare workers and facilities in Gaza, which has led to over 1,700 healthcare worker deaths since October 2023. Hospitals have been bombed and raided, causing $1.47 billion worth of damages to the health sector. Only three out of 200 primary healthcare centres are fully functional, and no hospitals in northern Gaza or Rafah are operational. Public health issues include 89% destruction of water sanitation infrastructure and a rise in Guillain-Barré syndrome cases. The Israeli Government has systematically dismantled Gaza's healthcare system through attacks on health facilities, resulting in 735 incidents reported by the World Health Organisation. The UN commission of inquiry concluded that Israel's actions amount to a deliberate policy to destroy the health-care system of Gaza, categorised as 'medicide' and part of an act of genocide. Amidst this destruction, medical aid remains obstructed with only limited supplies and evacuations permitted.
Andrew George
Lib Dem
St Ives
Medical aid workers should be allowed into Gaza for safe deployment of their skills, advocating for international peacekeepers instead of IDF presence. Mr George intervened to support Mr Adam's statement about the need for aid workers to access Gaza without Israeli obstruction. He mentioned a local Cornwall aid worker who was killed by IDF forces in 2024.
Andrew Snowden
Con
Fylde
Mr. Andrew Snowden expressed concern about the misappropriation of aid in Gaza and its impact on innocent civilians, noting that since the conflict began, approximately 2 million tonnes of aid have entered Gaza but some has been intercepted and potentially misused by Hamas. He also questioned the Government's effectiveness in calling for broader aid access and called for specific proposals regarding aid entry points.
Apsana Begum
Lab
Poplar and Limehouse
Ms. Apsana Begum intervened to ask the Minister for clarification on discussions with the United States about consequences for Hamas if they do not engage constructively in phase 2 of the ceasefire process. Asked the Minister about concrete steps the UK Government will take if the deadline for NGO deregistration passes without change from Israeli authorities.
Baggy Shanker
Lab Co-op
Derby South
Israel needs to lift restrictions on aid entering Gaza so that young amputees can get vital prosthetic limbs according to Save the Children reports. I agree with my hon. Friend that healthcare workers should not be targeted and call for an end to the systematic destruction of medical equipment in Gaza.
Christine Jardine
Lib Dem
Edinburgh West
There is an overwhelming level of concern among constituents about restrictions on international aid organizations such as Christian Aid. There is a genuine concern that after the war, people will still suffer due to restricted access.
Filton and Bradley Stoke
Residents across Filton and Bradley Stoke are horrified by the scale of human suffering in Gaza, supporting the Government's efforts to bring severely ill children for treatment in the UK.
Debbie Abrahams
Lab
Oldham East and Saddleworth
She mentioned that 18,500 people from Gaza are on a World Health Organisation wait list for treatment, expressing distress over the refusal of local hospitals to provide care.
Jeremy Corbyn
Ind
Islington North
He expressed grave concerns about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, citing over 2,000 deaths due to thermal weapons reaching up to 3,500°C. He criticised the 'Trump peace plan' as a military reoccupation of Gaza and highlighted the inability to bring medical equipment into Gaza due to Israeli restrictions.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
The healthcare system in Gaza, especially for children, pregnant women, and those with chronic illnesses, is under severe strain. Hamas's control over Gaza complicates aid delivery and prioritises terror over public services.
Lizzi Collinge
Lab
Morecambe and Lunesdale
Ms Collinge highlighted the severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, particularly the health sector, which is at breaking point with scarce medicines, ruined hospitals, and reduced wards. She noted that 137 days after the ceasefire began, over 600 kidney patients have lost their dialysis treatment due to medical shortages, and more than half of Gazans lack access to regular medication. She also pointed out that 22 hospitals are out of service, 211 ambulances damaged, and only a third of primary healthcare centres operational. Ms Collinge emphasised the importance of pressuring Israel to open Rafah crossing fully for medical aid and lifting restrictions on organisations such as Médecins Sans Frontières.
Lorraine Beavers
Lab
Blackpool North and Fleetwood
The healthcare situation in Gaza has collapsed, with hospitals bombed and medical supplies blocked. Children are the most affected, facing life-changing injuries without proper treatment or rehabilitation support. The UK must push for full opening of crossings to allow aid, fund medical equipment, and ensure humanitarian agencies can operate freely.
Melanie Ward
Lab
Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy
She challenged the shadow Minister to provide concrete examples of misappropriation or theft of aid in Gaza, expressing doubt about Israeli propaganda points on the issue. Requested an intervention from the Minister. Does my hon. Friend agree with me on the need for justice and accountability for horrific acts that have taken place in hospitals, including a massacre in the grounds of al-Shifa hospital, and a situation in Nasser hospital where many babies were left to die following Israeli military action?
Monica Harding
Lib Dem
Esher and Walton
Ms Harding highlighted the severe impact of two years of conflict on Gaza's healthcare system, noting over 70,000 deaths and a million people relying on humanitarian aid. She described dire conditions in hospitals with doctors forced to operate without anaesthesia due to lack of fuel and medical supplies. The speaker also mentioned that more than 500 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire. Ms Harding expressed concern about ongoing Israeli restrictions on humanitarian access, including a deadline for NGOs to register by March 1st, which she believes exacerbates the health crisis.
Paul Waugh
Lab Co-op
Rochdale
British medics should be encouraged to treat children in Gaza directly, as 50 severely ill children were well cared for by NHS hospitals after evacuation.
Rachael Maskell
Lab Co-op
York Central
Clinicians need the release to provide training and clinical support in Gaza; the Minister should work with the Health Secretary on this. Clinicians have been targeted and over 1,700 killed. Hospitals, clinics, and ambulances have been destroyed. Medical aid is blocked at borders. As of 30 January, only three field hospitals, three primary health centres, and six medical points are fully functioning with the rest non-functional or partially functional.
Sarah Champion
Lab
Rotherham
Ms. Champion highlighted the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, specifically focusing on the ban on medical transfers from Gaza to hospitals in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since October 2023. She noted that before this period, approximately 2,000 patients travelled monthly for specialised treatment, but now over 18,500 patients are waiting for evacuation due to unavailable treatments in Gaza. The Israeli Government's refusal to allow medical transfers citing vague security concerns has resulted in preventable deaths and increased suffering. Ms Champion briefly intervened to mention aid and reference the Minister's previous statements.
Scott Arthur
Lab
Edinburgh South West
Netanyahu has some role in the crisis and needs to take ownership of the problem as well. He must accept that Hamas is an awful organization but Netanyahu's actions also contribute to the issue.
Shockat Adam
Ind
Leicester South
Mr Adam highlighted the devastating impact of war on Gaza's Ramadan traditions and daily life, emphasizing the lack of basic necessities such as food, water, and medical care. He cited reports indicating that 72,000 people have died and over 171,000 injured since October 2025, with at least 603 Palestinians killed and 1,600 wounded after the ceasefire. Mr Adam also noted that more than 20,000 children have been killed and 40,500 injured in Gaza over the past two years.
Wendy Chamberlain
Lib Dem
North East Fife
Child trauma recovery is crucial alongside physical injuries; the ICCTPR has a model of training more counsellors on the ground, and the Government should consider funding this.
Government Response
Hamish Falconer
Government Response
It is an honour to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Jeremy. I am grateful to my hon. Friend the Member for Stroud (Dr Opher) for securing the debate. Before starting my speech, I declare that a close family member works with Médecins Sans Frontières overseas. The UK condemns Israel's recent Security Cabinet decisions regarding the West Bank and settlement activity as violations of international law. We will take concrete steps to counter these actions. Acknowledging Gaza's healthcare challenges, including equipment shortages, supply issues, and personnel restrictions, I highlight that Palestinian doctors alone are insufficient to meet demands; external support is necessary but contingent on Israeli permission and adequate infrastructure. The UK has provided £40 million in aid for health, with a recent £4 million Disasters Emergency Committee appeal matched by the public. We have also supported the Egyptian healthcare system through WHO funding. Regarding NGO deregistration, we oppose legislation affecting reputable British organisations like MSF and continue to advocate for their operations. We raised governance questions at the Palestinian two-state solution conference in July, promoting a demilitarised state and ending pay-for-slay practices. The UK remains committed to decommissioning Hamas's weapons through the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza.
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About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.