(1 day, 14 hours ago)
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The Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Stephen Doughty)
With permission, I would like to make a statement on the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the wider region.
With Gaza entering its fourth winter of conflict, last weekend’s heavy rain and strong winds have made the intolerable humanitarian situation even worse for Palestinian civilians. Like so many others, I was horrified by the scenes. Flooding has damaged displacement sites, tents and buildings, including hospitals and schools. According to our humanitarian partners on the ground, more than 152,000 people have been affected, with over 6,000 shelters destroyed, 17,400 damaged and nearly 4,000 households left without shelter.
Three children and their mother were killed when a sand embankment collapsed on their tents. The cumulative impact, as well as the immediate impact, is appalling. For more than three years, families have lost loved ones, homes and livelihoods, and many have had to move again and again in search of safety. Meanwhile, civilian deaths continue, with more than 1,600 killed since the so-called ceasefire alone, and Gazans have been kettled into around 30% of their territory.
The reality on the ground is heartbreaking, yet we knew this was coming. The UN and non-governmental organisations have raised the alarm for months. Donors, including ourselves, geared up for it and put in support for aid agencies ahead of time, but restrictions on access to vital supplies and machinery have hampered preparations for winter. According to the UN, over 150,000 tents and 300,000 tarpaulins that humanitarian partners and donors purchased are outside Gaza, ready to go in, yet the Israeli authorities have prevented these items from entering. They also continue to block timber from entering, leaving no emergency shelter kits available in Gaza. This is shameful. The problem is not simply whether the international community can provide help; it is whether that help can reach the people who need it. I have a very simple and direct message to the Israeli authorities: let the aid in.
This is only the first storm of winter, and there will be more. The UN has said that new tents alone will not protect people from flooding. Gaza urgently needs machinery and tools for drainage and rubble removal, and this is unilaterally in the Government of Israel’s control. As the occupying power, there are strict legal obligations that Israel must obey. We have repeatedly pressed it to prepare for winter and to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza, in line with international law. At the UN General Assembly, the UK brought international partners together behind a call to action on humanitarian access and healthcare. Today, again in New York, we will bring together multiple international partners once again to reinforce that pressure.
Our immediate asks of the Government of Israel are clear: open crossing points, starting with Erez in northern Gaza; allow additional days for dual-use items to enter; and reduce the list of those items, so that vital medicines, medical equipment, and materials for tents and shelter can reach the people who need them. I saw with my own eyes items for which I could see no reasonable ground for refusing entry. The Israeli Government must also allow access for journalists, diplomats and Foreign Ministers, so that the world can see the scale of what is happening.
I am shocked by reports overnight that an Israeli airstrike on the Nasser hospital in southern Gaza has killed at least six people. So many healthcare workers and humanitarians have lost their lives and faced peril trying to alleviate suffering in Gaza. I am thinking in particular of those, including the brave British nationals, who lost their lives in the World Central Kitchen attack.
In recent months, officials at the British embassy in Tel Aviv have pressed the Israeli authorities to take the action needed to prepare Gaza for winter. On Monday, officials again met those at the Israeli embassy in London to reinforce the urgent need for action. We call on all parties to the conflict to allow aid to enter Gaza and get to the people who need it.
I am sorry to say that in recent weeks, the flow of aid and essential goods into Gaza has been repeatedly disrupted. Commercial deliveries were temporarily suspended in September following reports of Hamas taxation. On 3 November, the Israeli authorities closed the Egypt corridor for six days over allegations of smuggling, cutting off an essential lifeline to Gazans. I have been to the Egypt warehouses myself and seen the stockpiles of essential aid waiting to get in. The UN chief for humanitarian affairs, Tom Fletcher, and other international counterparts have said that there is no excuse for this. The law is clear that civilians should get the aid they need and should not be punished, and that that should not be subject to political negotiations. The UK Government will not stand by, but will keep working with our partners to press for the restrictions to be lifted.
I am proud that our Government and our support have already made a difference. We provided UNICEF with £14 million this year to support nutrition, child protection, health, water and sanitation, and preparation for winter, but we must do more. Today, I can announce that we are releasing a further £5 million from our bilateral budget to UNICEF, which will be focused on the winter response, including the impact of flooding over the weekend. Overall, UK support will make a tangible difference to the people of Gaza, aiming to provide winter clothing for 100,000 children, tarpaulins for 62,500 people, family tents for 1,250 households and blankets for 150,000 people.
Last month, the Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs’ pooled fund, to which the UK is a significant contributor, provided $45 million for winter supplies, and when the flooding hit, OCHA was able to respond quickly and help families in displacement sites. Through our £88 million of humanitarian funding this financial year, we expect to provide healthcare for up to 900,000 people, safe water for 150,000 people, and rehabilitation and prosthetic care for 1,000 children with blast injuries. At the G7 this week, the Foreign Secretary was clear that Israel must ensure humanitarian access, humane treatment and basic welfare for civilians in Gaza. So we are acting, and we will continue to act, to alleviate the suffering.
Let me repeat that we recognise Israel’s legitimate security concerns and of course condemn Hamas’s 7 October terrorist attack, the worst antisemitic massacre since the Holocaust. I stood in resolute solidarity with Israelis and Jews at the memorial event and exhibition organised with the Israeli embassy just a few weeks ago. Let me also be clear that the United Kingdom remains committed—fully committed—to resolution 2803 and the 20-point peace plan. We are resolute and clear that Hamas must decommission their weapons, dismantle their terrorist infrastructure and relinquish control of Gaza. Ultimately, we need a lasting answer to this conflict. Our north star remains the two-state solution as the only route to lasting peace, security and prosperity for Israelis and Palestinians.
With your permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, let me add that while Gaza is rightly the immediate focus of my statement, it is not the only humanitarian crisis in the region that demands our attention. I want to say something about the appalling situation in Yemen, which is compounding the years of suffering, death and destruction faced by Yemenis. The Houthis’ decision to resume conflict has worsened an already desperate humanitarian situation. Since August, more than 330,000 people have fled their homes, there have been more than 1,000 civilian casualties and hundreds have been killed.
The situation is particularly acute in Taiz, where the continued Houthi siege restricts the movement of people, aid and essential goods. Women and children are particularly vulnerable as supplies run low, and healthcare services have been drastically reduced. The recruitment and use of children in the conflict, widespread displacement and food insecurity are causing further suffering. In recent weeks, I have met senior representatives of the Government of Yemen, and listened directly to humanitarians working on the frontline. We cannot turn away, and donors and the world cannot turn away, in the face of such appalling suffering. We need to do more.
I am also appalled by the continued detention of UN workers, and the deaths we have seen. I reiterate that international humanitarian law must be upheld by all. We are providing £104 million in humanitarian support to Yemen, including the recently announced £10 million to the UN’s emergency fund. We will continue to work with the Government of Yemen and other partners to protect and support civilians and return to a political process.
Finally, I want to update the House on sanctions, which I know are a matter of keen interest. In September, the Foreign Secretary announced further action in relation to Gaza and the west bank, including a new sanctions regime targeting illegal settlement activity. I can confirm that work is under way to prepare that regime, but in recent weeks we have also moved at pace to expand the global human rights sanctions regime to cover serious violations of international humanitarian law, including obstructing the delivery of or access to humanitarian aid. In recent weeks, we have also acted in other contexts. For example, in relation to the appalling situation in Sudan, we have sanctioned 15 senior commanders from the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese armed forces for suspected atrocities, including conflict-related sexual violence.
We do not comment on future designations under our sanctions regimes—the House knows why—but I want to be clear today that we are prepared to use these expanded powers against those who continue to block the entry of aid into Gaza and other conflict zones anywhere in the world. I commend this statement to the House.
Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)
I call the shadow Foreign Secretary.
Tom Tugendhat (Tonbridge) (Con)
First, I thank the Minister for advance sight of his statement, and I welcome the statement he has made. Let me start by sharing with him the simple horror that, I think, the whole House shares at the suffering and cruelty inflicted on so many by so few. Time and again, we have seen how this happens: a small group of extremists dominates a society, murders the lawful authority and takes power for itself, leading to suffering falling on the heads of thousands. Tragically, that is exactly what we have seen in Gaza.
When the Palestinian Authority took control of the territory in 2005, Mahmoud Abbas began enforcing a prohibition against militants carrying weapons in public. As we know, that led to street battles, the murder of Palestinian police officers and the takeover by Hamas. Since then, we have seen the terrible price of that takeover. We have seen the murder of hundreds and the exile of more—perhaps even thousands—who simply wanted to live in peace. The cruelty of life under the Iranian-funded and armed terror group is simply horrific.
Just look at the record on aid. In the decade ending in 2023, which is the last I can get reliable figures for, the United Kingdom gave almost £1 billion—£800 million and more—in aid to the Palestinian Authority. It was more if we count what went through the UN agencies, particularly the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, and even more if we count the aid given through the generosity of the British people by charities. What have we seen for it? We have seen the vile indoctrination of hatred, and the control of food and services to achieve dictatorial compliance. We have seen the biggest network of tunnels built to prepare for war. It is striking, is it not, that these air raid shelters were not built to protect the civilians, who were never allowed in. Palestinian women and children were never allowed in the tunnels. [Interruption.] I can see the hon. Lady shaking her head. If she wants to side with Hamas, she is welcome to—[Hon. Members: “Shame!”] But if she wishes to stand with the Palestinian people, she should recognise what Hamas have done. [Interruption.]
Madam Deputy Speaker
Order. We need to keep tempers down on both sides of the House, or time on the statement will run out.
Tom Tugendhat
Those who stand with the Palestinian people stand against Hamas.
Again and again, sadly, we have seen Hamas torturing and murdering so many. Does that leave others innocent? Of course it does not. Does it leave Israel innocent? No. The deaths of John Chapman, James Kirby, Jim Henderson and four others who were not British while working for the World Central Kitchen shows that civilian casualties have been too common, and the Australian inquiry into the events points to extremely clear problems that the Israel Defence Forces must resolve.
The Opposition also condemn the blockages of aid getting into the territory and Egypt’s closure of the southern border, just as we condemn the unnecessary Israeli restrictions. However, we recognise that aid has been weaponised by the Hamas leadership that has been in control for more than 20 years. Again and again, Hamas have chosen to hurt, murder and destroy their own people for the political benefit of their masters in Tehran and their vile ideology.
Britain now has a choice. Do we stand with those who see a different future? Do we want to support Palestinian voices who are rightly crying out for justice, and Israeli voices who have clearly said, “Enough”? Do we want to recognise that the abuses we have seen, which states such as Jordan and Egypt condemn, have continued for too long? That is the position we should be holding, working with Egypt which controls the southern border and with Jordan which rightly observes the abuses we have seen far too often by settlers in the west bank. Will the Minister please commit to engaging more closely with those countries supporting Palestinian and Israeli voices seeking peace?
Perhaps more importantly, given the extension the Minister made into areas such as Yemen, will he look at the root of so much of the violence and cruelty he listed today, which is of course in Iran? The regime in Tehran has brought murder, hatred, death and destruction to hundreds of thousands, including some people here in the United Kingdom. In Yemen, Gaza and sadly across the middle east, we have seen the price of the vile ayatollah’s regime. It is time for that to end and to relieve the suffering of so many in the Arab world and across the whole of the continent.
Stephen Doughty
I was disappointed by the tone of the shadow Foreign Secretary’s response. I urge him to think very, very carefully about the comments he made and consider withdrawing them. I thought they were entirely inappropriate and entirely inaccurate. Nobody on this side of the House has any sympathy whatsoever for the activities of Hamas. They are a proscribed organisation and they are appalling. Critically, I was clear that they must play no part in the future government of Gaza and, indeed, that they must disarm. We are committed to that and the whole Government are committed to that.
I was disappointed, too, that the right hon. Gentleman did not refer to the actions that need to take place to actually alleviate the suffering in Gaza. The fact is that aid is being denied entry. I have seen it with my own eyes, as have others on this side of the House, and Israel needs to take responsibility. [Interruption.] Israel needs to take responsibility. It has clear responsibilities as the occupying power, legally and morally, and it must act. That is the message we have been taking to it very, very clearly.
I am glad that the right hon. Gentleman mentioned the attack at World Central Kitchen. It was an appalling and utterly despicable attack. Brave British nationals, former service personnel, lost their lives, as did people from other countries. We need to see justice and accountability, and that is lacking—sadly and appallingly lacking—at present. We will continue to urge for that justice and accountability to be delivered.
I am also disappointed that the right hon. Gentleman made no mention of the fact that his colleagues in the other place voted the other day to regret the expansion of our global human rights and international humanitarian law sanctions regime. That was an extraordinary decision, not least because the powers in that new legislation will enable us to target the individuals responsible anywhere, not just in relation to Gaza and the west bank, but in Sudan, Yemen and many other conflicts that I know he cares about deeply. Perhaps he will explain at some point why his colleagues voted in that way.
Lastly, the right hon. Gentleman mentioned Iran. He knows the Government’s position on Iran. He also knows of the very serious actions that we have taken against Iran, which include the huge package of sanctions against Iran announced on 8 September, action against Lebanese Hezbollah, and our condemnation of the proxy and partner groups it is funding and supporting across the middle east, whether in Yemen, Lebanon or Iraq, and the militia groups aligned with it that are causing so much destabilisation and harm. He knows that we condemn Iran’s actions absolutely, and we will continue to take the appropriate action.
Kim Johnson (Liverpool Riverside) (Lab)
I thank the Minister for his statement and for all the work he is doing. I also support him in his condemnation of the shadow Foreign Secretary for his lack of condemnation of the barbaric Israeli Government who are blocking humanitarian aid. [Interruption.] It is a flagrant violation of humanitarian law. [Interruption.]
Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)
Order. Mr Tugendhat, when one person is speaking we do not need a running commentary from people who are seated. Kim Johnson, the floor is yours for your question.
Kim Johnson
Okay, I will carry on.
Will the Minister explain how the Government intend to use the extension of powers in the Global Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law Sanctions Regulations 2026 to take action, and when that will that happen?
Stephen Doughty
My hon. Friend rightly points to the new regulations. She will know—she and other colleagues were part of the debates—that they have just been passed and introduced. We moved at pace to do that. The other regime we announced on 8 September will take longer. I will not tell her in the House today exactly who will be designated or exactly when under those regimes, but I can tell her that we do not take powers without intending to use them.
Monica Harding (Esher and Walton) (LD)
I thank the Minister for his statement, and I welcome his words and attention on Yemen. I regret the shadow Foreign Secretary’s appalling comments from his seat, and his inability to meet the moment and do what the public are asking us to do about Gaza.
I have continually noted in this Chamber that Israel’s current interpretation of dual-use restrictions means that Palestinians are routinely and systematically denied essential items. The floods could not have been prevented, but timely access to humanitarian aid could have reduced the ensuing devastation. As the Minister notes, 150,000 tents are waiting at Gaza’s borders but are not being allowed in. The crisis does not end with the floods. UNICEF reports that no waste water treatment plant is currently working in Gaza, while in Gaza City rainwater mixed with sewage is threatening to overflow from the Sheikh Radwan stormwater basin, where only two of six pumps still work. UNICEF has been waiting for approval from the Israeli authorities for more than a year to bring in the equipment needed to repair the facility. As temperatures drop, more than half a million children in Gaza are now facing their fourth winter in torn tents or makeshift shelters, and more than a million people are in need of winter clothing.
I share the Minister’s horror at the reports of the horrific attack on Nasser hospital, which has reportedly killed a surgeon, a child and patients. Enough was long ago enough. I welcome the Government’s condemnation of the illegal occupation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, but action must follow. Palestine must be able to function as a state without Hama and not permanently relying on an occupying force to decide whether it can access the basic necessities of life.
Will the Government apply the new international humanitarian law sanctions regulations to specifically sanction those responsible for blocking aid? Will he use every diplomatic lever possible to push the Israeli Government to permit immediate entry of humanitarian supplies into Gaza, including those materials needed to make urgent repairs to water and sanitation infrastructure? What steps are the Government taking with international partners to stop aid being diverted or stolen by Hamas?
Stephen Doughty
I thank the hon. Lady for her comments and for her support for what I said about Yemen. She was absolutely right to focus on dual-use items. I was staggered that even wheelchairs, medical scanners that should be in hospitals treating people who desperately need help, and even footballs for children, so that they should be able to enjoy some basic activity and sports, were being denied. It is just unfathomable why those things are being denied entry, let alone what I have said today about tents, timber and other crucial equipment to respond to what we saw at the weekend.
That has to change and it has to change urgently. I can assure her that we are using every lever at our disposal and every contact. Officials have been engaging this week—we have asked to meet the Co-ordinator of Government Activities in the Territories—and we will continue to raise this at every single level.
The hon. Lady will have heard what I said about the new global human rights and international humanitarian law regime. It has just come into place. I will not comment on future designations, but obviously we take powers because we intend to use them.
Brian Leishman (Alloa and Grangemouth) (Lab)
Bullets, bombs, drones and starvation—the methods by which Netanyahu and his apartheid regime kills Palestinian children, women and men are varied. When I look through history, I have to say that I have no faith that a different Israeli Prime Minister and a different Israeli Government would actually treat Palestinians like human beings.
I welcome much of the Minister’s statement, but yet again we have another statement in this place full of sorrow and condemnation—nothing really changes. The time to do something meaningful that will actually stop the genocide and the killing of Palestinians is long overdue. My question is very simple: when will the Government stop all arms sales to Israel?
Stephen Doughty
It is a statement full of genuine sorrow and a sense of being appalled at what is happening in Gaza. I say it with sincerity and the Government say it with sincerity. I take issue with my hon. Friend’s suggestion that nothing changes. He has seen in recent weeks that a number of things have changed. We announced our intention to ban the trade. We announced our intention to deal with those expanding illegal settlements. We announced, just today, additional funding to respond to the appalling events at the weekend. I am proud of what this Government are doing to respond, but we need to do more and we need to galvanise others to do more. That is exactly what we are doing in New York today. He knows the steps we have taken already on the suspension and the refusal of arms sales; we have set those out in detail. He also knows of the new double lock in relation to arms sales that the Foreign Secretary announced in relation to the unlawfulness of the occupation.
Brian Mathew (Melksham and Devizes) (LD)
The situation in Gaza is intolerable, as is the situation in the west bank. Will the Government consider extending sanctions to Avi Bluth, the IDF general in charge of operations in the west bank, who has been observed by peace activists directing illegal settler militant action against the resident civilian population in Jericho?
Stephen Doughty
The hon. Member knows that we do not comment on specific designations or on sanctions in advance. I have heard what he said and hear many other calls for sanctions on those involved in the expansion of settlements and the settler violence and terrorism that we have seen. We have already introduced a number of sanctions on individuals, we are considering other cases, and we will update the House in due course.
Joe Powell (Kensington and Bayswater) (Lab)
I welcome the Minister’s message of letting aid and journalists in, and I strongly condemn the approach and tone of the shadow Foreign Secretary in response to the statement. I welcome the expansion of the global human rights regime to include obstructing delivery or access to humanitarian aid and look forward to that being used soon, as the Minister said, as well as the new regime on illegal settlements. Will the Minister say what more is being done to prepare the legislation around the trade ban for activity in the illegal settlements?
Stephen Doughty
I certainly can say more, and I am pleased that my hon. Friend welcomes the regime. He rightly talks about some of the additional powers that we have taken in the GHR and IHL regimes. We are working at pace to bring in the wider settlement trade ban. The Foreign Secretary said it will take six to nine months, but I hope we can be at the earlier end of that spectrum. We need to ensure that the regime is effective, proportionate and that it has an impact on deterring and disrupting those who are expanding and facilitating the settlements. The Foreign Secretary has been very clear about the message to businesses and others involved in that. We are also ensuring that the regime has the appropriate religious considerations in place, and that it does not affect trade with green line Israel, which we of course continue to support.
Seamus Logan (Aberdeenshire North and Moray East) (SNP)
The scale of the humanitarian catastrophe is enormous. I note the Minister’s outrage, but I fear that some of his estimates are below the figures that I am receiving—1.4 million people are now living in tents. I welcome the aid that the UK Government are providing, but it is of no consequence if it is sitting on the border, unable to get in. That is the problem. Why has the Israeli ambassador not been summoned to the Foreign Office to account for those illegal actions? The aid is needed this weekend—not in a month or a week’s time. If entry is not opened over the weekend, what action will the Government take on Monday?
Stephen Doughty
As I said, we are raising those issues directly with the Israeli Government, both in Tel Aviv and with the Israeli embassy here, as well as with the other agencies involved, so I can assure him on that point. Obviously, we listen to partners on the ground as to the scale of the figures. A number of items of the aid that we provided have got in, and agencies are able to deliver some services, but the fact is, as the hon. Member rightly says, it is simply not enough. A staggering number of tents, tarpaulins and other things are being blocked, and the continued failure to open points such as Erez, and the closure at Kerem Shalom, are doing nothing to help the situation; they are making it worse. Open those points, remove the dual-use restrictions in the way that we have suggested, and get that assistance in. It is absolutely critical.
Alan Gemmell (Central Ayrshire) (Lab)
Before I ask my question, Madam Deputy Speaker, I will let you and the House know that James Thomas Campbell from my constituency was killed at the weekend in the terrible attacks in Krakow—the only British victim. I thank the Minister for the support his Department is giving the family. I am sure the whole House will want to pass on their condolences to Mr Campbell’s family.
Voters in Central Ayrshire are deeply concerned about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the recent deadly storms affecting many tens of thousands of people. What they do not want to hear is infantile comments from the shadow Foreign Secretary slurring members of this Government. I am delighted that my hon. Friend the Member for Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy (Melanie Ward) is in government, bringing to bear all her experience of the situation. Will the Minister assure my constituents and the House that he is doing all he can, with her help, to get that vital aid into Gaza?
Stephen Doughty
First, I offer my condolences and those of the Government on the death of my hon. Friend’s constituent. It was an absolutely appalling attack. I know Krakow well as a city, and I have sat in that square myself. It was an appalling scene. We are working closely with the Polish authorities on the case, as well as providing the appropriate consular support to the family in what is a deeply distressing and appalling time. My thoughts are with them.
My hon. Friend is absolutely right to praise my hon. Friend the Member for Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy (Melanie Ward) for her past work and advocacy on those issues before joining the Government. It is crucial that we listen to the actual experiences of those who have seen the reality on the ground in Gaza, as well as organisations and others. That is exactly what the Foreign Secretary and I have been doing, and I will listen to what they have to say about the reality of what is happening and respond accordingly.
Layla Moran (Oxford West and Abingdon) (LD)
Would the Minister agree that the Palestinian-majority parties, which have scored a record number of seats in the most recent Israeli elections and have now said that, despite profound differences, they will give Eisenkot support in trying to find a new Government, so that there might be a change of policy in the Israeli Government, show us all what extraordinary grace is needed if we are to find a lasting and inclusive peace in the region? I have to say, it is a grace that seems to be totally missing from the Conservative Front Bench today. Will the Minister also give us an update on the latest with the so-called board of peace, which was meant to be brokering the aid into Gaza, but seems to be totally missing from the conversation?
Stephen Doughty
On the Israeli elections, obviously the formation of any future Government is a matter for the parties and people in Israel and for their system of government. We will of course work and engage with any Government formed, and our asks of that Government and demands in relation to the situation will be same: get the aid in; support the two-state solution; stop the illegal settlement expansion; and stop the violence and settler terrorism that we have seen. Our message will be very clear whoever is in power and we will engage accordingly.
The hon. Lady talked about the board of peace, which does important work. We are not a member of the board of peace, but when I was in Egypt a few weeks ago, I met with the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, which is the body that has been set up to look at the administration of Gaza going forward. The House will note the comments of the board of peace in relation to the current situation in Gaza, and the condemnation and criticism that has come from all parts. That shows the scale of the challenge, and that the Israeli Government need to respond.
Apsana Begum (Poplar and Limehouse) (Lab)
Last night, six Palestinians including a surgeon, Dr Rizk Abu Shaira, were slaughtered in an airstrike on Gaza’s Nasser medical complex. It is the sixth attack on the hospital in just three years, and part of the systemic healthcare destruction in Gaza that UN experts have called a “medicide”. Can the Minister confirm whether this Government are tracking Israel’s use of the F-35 parts that are still shamefully being exported to Israel from the UK, and whether they are being used to deliberately target Gaza’s last remaining hospitals?
Stephen Doughty
I share my hon. Friend’s horror at the reports coming in overnight, and we have been attempting to get clarity on the situation there. A hit on a medical facility, after so many doctors, humanitarian workers and others have lost their lives, been injured and been put at risk by the actions in Gaza, is absolutely appalling. I have heard the appalling experiences of a number of doctors in recent weeks. I assure my hon. Friend that all of our arms exports are kept under constant review, and we are convinced that we have the right measures in place to ensure that they are done in accordance with the law.
Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North) (Your Party)
Almost 2 million people are now forced into 30% of the Gaza strip. Israel continues to bombard them, to allow them to die and to refuse aid going in. How is the British Government’s aid going to get there, and what sanctions will the Minister place against Israel, as the illegal occupying power of the Gaza strip, for its refusal to allow it in? Will the Minister, for once, make it absolutely clear that there is no further military or security co-operation whatsoever with Israel because of its behaviour in the west bank and its killing of almost 100,000 people on the Gaza strip?
Stephen Doughty
I was very clear about what needs to happen on Gaza: we need to get all that crucial aid in. The aid that we have provided has made a difference, but it cannot make the difference that we wish it to have, and all items cannot get in, because of the blockages we have seen. The right hon. Gentleman rightly points to Israel’s responsibilities as an occupying power. It needs to adhere to them—there are clear legal grounds for that—and we will continue to urge it to do so. I have been very clear about the position we have taken on arms exports and the number of licences that we have refused and revoked. We will continue to keep all those under constant review.
Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow West) (Lab)
I thank the Minister for his statement this morning. I have to say that I have been saddened by the approach of the those on the Opposition Front Bench, particularly as the Minister was addressing what is a climate catastrophe and two breaches of international law by a so-called democratically elected Government. In a meeting earlier this year with COGAT—Co-ordinator of Government Activities in the Territories—a cross-party delegation from this House and I were appalled at the perverse way in which the definition of dual-use items was being used, as it includes things like tent poles that can by no means be considered to be dual use. I very much welcome the sanctions the Minister has talked about, but will he be very firm in his conversations with COGAT, as I know he will be, in ensuring that that definition is consigned to the history books once and for all?
Stephen Doughty
I can absolutely assure my hon. Friend that the absurdity of some of the restrictions is at the heart of the conversations we are having with COGAT, and indeed other authorities. She quite rightly points out the climate aspects of this situation, too. The tragedy is that we knew those conditions were coming, and from previous examples we have seen we knew the impact they could have. Like others, including the United Nations, we issued warnings, and yet that crucial aid and assistance was not able to get in at the necessary levels, and large numbers of tents, tarpaulins and the equipment to put tents up still remain outside Gaza.
Bobby Dean (Carshalton and Wallington) (LD)
The blocking of aid has previously been cited by a UN commission as evidence of a genocide in Gaza, and stopping infant milk reaching starving children certainly sounds like that to me. Are this Government committed to working with the UN to provide the necessary evidence to prove that what is happening in Gaza is a genocide?
Stephen Doughty
The Foreign Secretary and I have set out our position on this matter on a number of occasions. We will, of course, continue to work and support the work of the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court and other bodies and listen very carefully to all evidence provided.
Jas Athwal (Ilford South) (Lab)
I welcome the Minister’s statement and the promise of the further £5 million. The devastating flooding in Gaza has compounded the intolerable suffering of the Palestinians. Israel’s continued obstruction of humanitarian aid, including vital flood relief materials, is indefensible. When will the Minister and the Government not simply ask for but demand the immediate entry of emergency shelters, drainage equipment and flood relief supplies, press Israel to remove all restrictions on humanitarian access and work with international partners to establish a funded, long-term reconstruction programme to prevent further avoidable suffering?
Stephen Doughty
My hon. Friend clearly and passionately sets out the situation in Gaza. I hope I have been very clear today that we are making demands, and that it is not just us, but the United Nations and other countries doing so. We will be bringing together other people in that demand in New York today.
Dr Ellie Chowns (North Herefordshire) (Green)
The humanitarian situation in Gaza is absolutely horrific. The Minister says that he is here today to send a clear message to the Israeli Government to let in the aid, but as he himself has pointed out, he and others have been sending that same message and predicting this situation for months and indeed years. Unless asks are accompanied by action, they will be ignored, as they have been over and over again. The Minister talks about contributing more UK aid, but what is the point if it is just going to sit on the border, blocked from getting through the border crossings by the Israeli Government? I welcome the expansion of the global human rights sanctions regime to cover blocking delivery of humanitarian aid; surely deregistering 37 humanitarian organisations and stopping tents getting through to people facing horrific flooding counts as that. How much longer does the Minister need to wait until he acts?
Stephen Doughty
With the greatest respect, we are acting, we have acted and we will continue to act. Ultimately, the responsibility here lies with Israel as the occupying power. It is failing to deliver on those requirements, and we are going to hold it to account in every way possible. We have taken powers and announced additional money today. We will continue to demand directly with Israel, and with others publicly, and to build international pressure and consensus around that. That is exactly what we are doing in New York today—bringing together other countries and ensuring that that pressure is brought to bear on Israel to uphold its responsibilities.
Dr Rupa Huq (Ealing Central and Acton) (Lab)
Against the backdrop of a war that has seen a record number of orphaned child amputees, the news that equipment to alleviate the devastating floods in Gaza is being blocked at the border continues a pattern that we have seen with medicines and baby food. Does the Minister agree that without actual evidence that this is being done for military purposes, it looks like collective punishment? Will he restate our adherence to the ICJ process and use maximum pressure? Change of Government or not, a change of action is needed.
Stephen Doughty
A change of action is absolutely needed. I have heard the same reports as my hon. Friend about medicines, prosthetics and other items being denied entry. She will note that I announced what we are doing, particularly on the issue of prosthetics. Of course, we also need to get access for people to be medically evacuated, as we have already done with a number of severe cases, including here to the UK. We need to open up new routes for people to get treated in the region, too. Most crucially, hospitals in Gaza need to have the equipment and capability necessary to function as hospitals and not to face devastating attacks that kill their personnel.
Ben Maguire (North Cornwall) (LD)
In 2024, the ICJ issued three legally binding orders requiring Israel to allow entry of shelter, food, fuel and medical supplies and to keep those crossings open for as long as possible. We often hear warm words from the Dispatch Box supporting the principles of international law, and we have heard talk again today of expanding sanctions, but the real question is, when? What work is the Minister undertaking with international allies to ensure that those ICJ orders are upheld?
Stephen Doughty
It is crucial that ICJ orders and positions are respected, which is exactly why we work with international partners to raise attention to that and to hold Israel to account. That is exactly the sort of work we are doing in New York in our role on the Security Council; it is exactly the work we are doing today, bringing together different international partners as part of our call to action on humanitarian access. We will continue to hold Israel to account.
Josh Fenton-Glynn (Calder Valley) (Lab)
The recent flooding in Gaza has made an awful situation even worse. Some 1.4 million Gazans living in tents and thousands of families have lost what little shelter they had. We need to get as much aid into Gaza as possible, and Israel continuing to block that aid seemingly breaks international law. I ask the Minister what practical diplomatic action we will take if Israel continues to block the flow of aid into Gaza.
Stephen Doughty
We have already taken practical diplomatic action this week, including in Tel Aviv and here in London and, crucially, in galvanising other countries around the world. I hope to be able to share with my hon. Friend such work later on today in New York to hold Israel to account on these very issues.
Iqbal Mohamed (Dewsbury and Batley) (Ind)
I cannot recall another conflict where the occupying and illegally invading force has used adverse weather, starvation and hypothermia as a weapon of war. The comments from those on the Opposition Front Bench were absolutely disgusting. Our compassion should be equal for Israeli civilians and Palestinian civilians. We should not differentiate in our humanity based on ethnicity or nationality.
Israel has used Lavender AI systems to target and execute thousands of Palestinian children, women and men. According to the Financial Times, the IDF is now in talks to deploy 1,000 AI robots to police and potentially engage in combat in Gaza. The humanitarian crisis is only worsening, with the future of technology being used to annihilate the civilian population, while Israel’s tech sector is booming. What steps are the Government taking to ensure that the UK can no longer invest in Israeli companies or co-operate with Israel, as these tools are used to cause the misery and death of Palestinians?
Stephen Doughty
I am not aware of the specific systems that the hon. Gentleman refers to, but I would be very happy to write to him on that issue. What I can assure him of is that we have, I would argue, the most robust export licensing system in the world and we have huge amounts of scrutiny and controls on it. We consider all export licences in that regard.
Sonia Kumar (Dudley) (Lab)
I welcome the Minister’s statement and condemn the shadow Foreign Secretary’s comments. The situation in Gaza is dire. Flooding has damaged or destroyed thousands of shelters. Heavy rain has disrupted education for around 55,000 children across at least 55 learning spaces, while flooding and damaged infrastructure are putting children’s health, safety and access to basic essentials at serious risk. Enough is enough. What discussions has the Minister had with his American counterparts, who have real influence over the Israeli Government, to try to broker a deal to ensure that aid flows fully into Gaza?
Stephen Doughty
We engage closely with our American counterparts on a range of issues every day, as my hon. Friend will know. While we are not part of the board of peace, we have engaged closely with it and the efforts on the 20-point plan. It is crucial that that is able to move forward. Part of that is making sure that there is humanitarian access for aid supplies. We will work with all partners internationally to address these appalling issues on the ground, which she rightly described.
Dr Danny Chambers (Winchester) (LD)
I am also genuinely shocked that the shadow Foreign Secretary would use a horrific humanitarian crisis in an attempt to score cheap political points.
The flooding in Gaza has added more suffering to what was already a horrific and deteriorating situation, if that were even possible, and the Israeli Government preventing aid from getting in is making life even worse for elderly people, sick people and children. I very much welcome the Minister’s commitment to further aid and the condemnation of the Israeli Government’s actions, but could he highlight what specific actions are being taken by us and our allies to ensure that Israel does allow aid in, including any further sanctions and when those will be imposed? Will the Israeli ambassador be summoned to No. 10 by the end of today?
Stephen Doughty
The hon. Gentleman has already heard what I said about our engagement directly with the Israeli Government in Tel Aviv and here. I can assure him that multiple conversations are going on. I could not be clearer publicly, let alone privately, about what needs to happen. We are conveying that in every way possible and working with international partners.
I reassure the hon. Gentleman and other colleagues about the humanitarian funding we are providing to Palestine overall. Of the £78.3 million we already announced, £74.9 million has been disbursed to partners already, including in Gaza and the west bank. I assure him that the work we are doing is making a difference. Given the scale of need that he describes and what we saw at the weekend, so much more needs to get in and so much more needs to be done. That is what we are pressing for.
Dr Scott Arthur (Edinburgh South West) (Lab)
I think many Conservative voters in Edinburgh South West would be disgusted by the shadow Foreign Secretary’s comments. The only reassurance I can give them is that when he made the comments, behind him were four fully empty Benches—perhaps those Members had prior sight of the right hon. Gentleman’s comments.
Eman attended my constituency surgery on Saturday; she has probably attended more of my surgeries than any other constituent. She was in tears talking about this issue, not because she has watched it on TV or seen pictures on social media but because she has lost friends and family in this conflict. She is an amazing woman, and it is always fantastic speaking to her. On her behalf, I want to ask a couple of questions. First, I know that it is a very congested site, but is there no prospect of airdropping aid into Gaza? Secondly, Netanyahu has said that this is nothing to do with Israel—that it has no responsibility. Was there any acceptance in the diplomatic talks that Israel is partly responsible at least and holds the keys to resolving it?
Stephen Doughty
I thank my hon. Friend for conveying so powerfully the views of his constituent. It is those direct connections that we often hear about so passionately in our constituencies. Indeed, in my own surgeries in Cardiff South and Penarth I have had individuals who have family in Gaza, and I know humanitarian workers who have worked there as well.
Airdrops are an extraordinarily complex logistical operation to pull off. The best way to get aid in is by reopening those crossing points and making sure that there are no restrictions on dual use. That would have the maximum impact that we want. I could not have been clearer: Israel ultimately has the responsibility. As the occupying power, it has the legal and moral responsibility to allow in this lifesaving aid. We urge it to do so.
Ayoub Khan (Birmingham Perry Barr) (Ind)
We watched this genocide with more than 64,000 Palestinian children murdered and maimed by the 2,000 bombs that rained on their heads. We watched this genocide while Palestinian children were murdered through starvation while piles of food sat a few hundred metres away. We watched this genocide while Palestinian children were butchered by Israeli snipers, drones and tanks. Here we are again, for the fourth winter, watching this genocide while Palestinian children are being drowned by sewage-filled rainwater. Does the Minister agree that we, the UK, have a legal and moral obligation to help, and can he confirm that all options are on the table, including naval assets in the region ready to help to ensure that we stop watching and start acting?
Stephen Doughty
We are acting, we have been acting, and we will continue to act. I am proud of the fact that we had already pre-positioned support and resources with some of the organisations that can make the difference on the ground. That has been making a difference, but there needs to be much, much more. That is why I have today announced the additional £5 million of funding to UNICEF.
Jack Abbott (Ipswich) (Lab/Co-op)
I thank the Minister for his statement and express solidarity with my hon. Friend the Member for Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy (Melanie Ward) on the Front Bench. A little over a year ago, a ceasefire was agreed, and that offered people a glimmer of hope that finally the horrors we have seen over the past few years were coming to an end. Given that 1,600 men, women and children have been killed since that agreement, it is clear that this is a ceasefire in name only. Will the Minister condemn the ongoing violence and urge all parties to come together and finally honour the commitment of a ceasefire and move towards a lasting peace?
Stephen Doughty
I absolutely will. My hon. Friend sets out the case very convincingly; we have to get back to that 20-point plan, and we have to get back to getting the aid in, stopping the violence and moving forward with a governance that no longer involves Hamas.
Tom Gordon (Harrogate and Knaresborough) (LD)
I welcome the statement by the Minister. In it, he outlined the new settlement sanctions regime that was announced earlier this year. I appreciate that he says that work is under way at pace, but can I press him for a timetable for when it will come into force?
Stephen Doughty
I set out a timetable earlier. The Foreign Secretary was clear that it will be six to nine months, but we will try to do it at the earlier end of that scale. I want to be clear with the House that that is because we need to make sure that this regime is designed effectively, so that it will have the impact that we are aiming for. We have incredible teams of sanctions officials who work on these issues. We are very successful in that the regimes that we run around the world have an impact as well as being legally and evidentially sound. It is important that we get it right, but we want to see this brought in as soon as possible.
John Slinger (Rugby) (Lab)
The Government have rightly described Israel’s occupation of Gaza and the west bank as illegal. In the light of this, surely Israel’s control of Gaza’s territorial waters must be in some question. Can my hon. Friend the Minister give his thoughts on what pressure this Government and the international community can bring to bear on Israel to ensure that aid can come in, perhaps through a naval route and indeed other routes?
Stephen Doughty
Matters that ultimately relate to maritime delimitations and so on must be done in line with the United Nations convention on the law of the sea. We are a firm defender of that principle. My hon. Friend rightly talks about different routes through which aid can get in. I would draw him back to what I said earlier, which is that the best thing that can be done is to reopen Erez, to make sure that Kerem Shalom is open fully and to ensure that those dual-use restrictions are removed. That will make the tangible difference on the ground right now.
Sarah Smith (Hyndburn) (Lab)
Like myself, my constituents in Hyndburn and Haslingden are deeply concerned about the situation in Gaza, with 950,000 displaced people urgently in need of aid. Unlike the Conservatives, I am very proud that we have committed £88 million to support the Palestinian territories and an extra £5 million today. Could the Minister say more about the expansion of the global human rights regime and how that might help to get the aid into Gaza that is so desperately needed?
Stephen Doughty
I set out the message on that new regime at the end of my statement. We are sending a very clear signal that—not just in relation to Gaza but in relation to a number of other conflicts and situations around the world—we can take action against those who deny humanitarian assistance and lifesaving aid when it is most needed. My hon. Friend speaks with great passion on behalf of her constituents, and I thank her for the support that she has given us today.
Douglas McAllister (West Dunbartonshire) (Lab)
I thank the Minister for his statement. Like, I suspect, every Member of this House, I have received countless emails from my concerned constituents—residents of West Dunbartonshire—who regard the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, made worse by the recent deadly storm, as utterly unacceptable and entirely the fault of Israel and its restrictions on aid getting in. Will the Minister tell the House what level of UK lifesaving humanitarian aid is blocked, and who have we specifically sanctioned, and when, for actions in blocking UK aid?
Stephen Doughty
On the last point, we have only just taken the powers in recent weeks, and I will not comment on future designations. On the aid that has been provided to date and what items we think are being blocked, I do not how much granular detail we can go into for operational reasons, but I will certainly try to write to my hon. Friend with some more information about the types of items and others that we have funded. I saw with my own eyes huge amounts of aid from a range of different donors sitting in warehouses in Egypt, unable to be delivered because the Israelis had denied it.
Mrs Elsie Blundell (Heywood and Middleton North) (Lab)
I am grateful to the Minister for his statement. Last night, my two-year-old daughter fell asleep next to me in a warm, dry home. In Gaza, mums and their two-years-olds were not sleeping; they were surrounded by flood water, frozen and drenched. As mums like me watch this from our living rooms in the UK, I am sure that I cannot be the only one thinking, “There but for the grace of God go I.” What new steps are being considered following Israel’s recent elections to make it clear that withholding the vital aid that we are providing, including to toddlers and babies, will not be tolerated now or throughout the extremely difficult winter still to come?
Stephen Doughty
My hon. Friend speaks with the passion and clarity of any parent in this House or, indeed, in Britain when looking at those scenes. That is fundamentally what should be motivating us in our efforts and in our commentary on this situation. Most importantly, we have to act, and that is exactly why we are going to use every route we have—directly with the Government of Israel, directly with the different agencies and authorities, at the United Nations, in our sanctions regimes, and ultimately in the direct aid and assistance that we can provide—to ensure that children do not have to go through the experience that she so powerfully described.
Chris Webb (Blackpool South) (Lab)
I refer Members to my declaration in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests as a trustee for a humanitarian children’s charity that sends aid to hospitals and families in Gaza at this time.
I thank my hon. Friend for his statement. He knows that humanitarian organisations are working tirelessly on the ground to try to save lives. More than 77,000 Palestinians have lost their lives in this abhorrent war, including 17,000 children, yet even after the so-called ceasefire, still more than 1,600 have lost their lives. We know from the reports from the UN and its independent commission that Israel has committed war crimes and genocide against the Palestinian people. What further action will the Government take to protect civilians, including children, in Gaza and to secure a lasting peace?
Stephen Doughty
International humanitarian law and principles need to be upheld. We are resolute in defending those principles internationally and in the accountability that we expect. We communicate that directly to the Government of Israel and to all other parties, and we will continue to stand up for humanitarian workers and all those who do incredible work. I want to pay tribute to them, because I have met so many over recent weeks. They often put themselves in harm’s way, knowing the risks, and still go out there driven by the pure humanitarian impulse to try to make life better for people who are suffering so much. My tribute today is to them.
Sarah Smith
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. The right hon. Member for Tonbridge (Tom Tugendhat) has acted shamefully during this session. First, he suggested that an hon. Member was siding with Hamas, a proscribed terror organisation—a disgraceful slur, which the right hon. Member needs to withdraw. Then, from a sedentary position, he suggested that another one of my hon. Friends was being antisemitic. Will you provide advice, Madam Deputy Speaker, as to how to ensure that the record is corrected and such awful accusations are not allowed to stand?
Madam Deputy Speaker (Caroline Nokes)
I thank the hon. Lady for her point of order. She and all Members will know that good temper and moderation are the characteristics of parliamentary debate, and they should prevail even from a sedentary position.