Thank you for contacting me about the situation in Gaza. I appreciate how important this matter is to you, and to so many of my constituents, and can assure you that the Government remains focused on addressing the very serious situation in the Middle East.
I want to see an end to the terrible suffering in Gaza as soon as possible and for the fighting to stop now. I support the UK Government’s position, which is calling for an immediate pause to get aid in and hostages out, then progress towards a sustainable, permanent ceasefire, without a return to destruction, fighting and loss of life. Indeed, the Government made a Written Statement to Parliament on 23 February setting out this position.
There are several vital elements for a lasting peace, including the release of all hostages; the formation of a new Palestinian Government for the West Bank and Gaza, accompanied by an international support package; removing Hamas’ capacity to launch attacks against Israel; Hamas no longer being in charge of Gaza; and a political horizon which provides a credible and irreversible pathway towards a two-state solution.
I respect the role and independence of the ICJ. However, I agree with the UK Government that South Africa’s case at the ICJ is not helpful in achieving the goal of a sustainable ceasefire. I share the UK Government's view that Israel's actions in Gaza cannot be described as a genocide but the UK also remain clear that formal determination of genocide should be based upon the final judgement of a competent court. The Court’s call for the immediate release of hostages and the need to get more aid into Gaza is a position the UK has long advocated.
On UNRWA, I am appalled by allegations that any agency staff were involved in the 7 October attack against Israel, a heinous act of terrorism. I am aware that the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services and Catherine Colonna have now provided their interim reports to the UN Secretary-General.
The UK wants UNRWA to give detailed undertakings about changes in personnel, policy and precedents to ensure this can never happen again. Please be assured that the UK Government is working with allies to bring this situation to a rapid conclusion- not least because UNRWA have a vital role to play in providing aid and services in Gaza. Indeed, UNWRA is the only body with a distribution network, so there needs to be a dose of realism about what we can achieve and how quickly we can achieve it.
The decision to pause future funding to UNRWA has no impact on the UK's contribution to the humanitarian response, and the UK remains wholly committed to alleviating the suffering in Gaza.. The Government is getting on with aid delivery, funding multiple implementing partners including other UN agencies and international and UK NGOs.
The UK Foreign Secretary recently announced a further £10 million in aid spending for the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs), bringing UK support to more than £100 million in the financial year 2023/24. The UK has trebled its aid commitment to the OPTs, and funding has supported partners including the British Red Cross, UNICEF, the UN World Food Programme and Egyptian Red Crescent Society to deliver vital supplies.
I welcome that more than 2,000 tonnes of food aid – the UK’s largest delivery of aid to Gaza thus far – crossed the border on 20 March, and is being distributed by the WFP on the ground. This adds to the 150 tonnes of UK funded relief items including blankets and tents, which arrived on 13 March, and will be distributed by UNICEF. A full UK field hospital run by UK-Med has also arrived in Gaza and is now operational and providing life-saving care. Ministers are doing all that they can to get more aid in and open more crossings.
Finally, the UK continues to call for International Humanitarian Law (IHL) to be respected and civilians to be protected. The Government keeps advice on Israel's adherence to IHL under review, and will act in accordance with that advice.
Thank you again for contacting me about this important matter.
Kind regards,
Graham
