Gaza: Humanitarian Obligations Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Imran Hussain
Main Page: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)Department Debates - View all Imran Hussain's debates with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
(1 day, 6 hours ago)
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Irene Campbell
I agree with the points made by my hon. Friend. I will be interested to hear the Minister’s response to this debate.
Imran Hussain (Bradford East) (Lab)
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for leading this important debate. She is quite right that nearly 200,000 people have signed this very important petition at relatively short notice. The reality is that, as well as humanitarian aid not getting in, Israel continues to breach the ceasefire. Hundreds of Palestinians continue to die. Starvation and famine remain a reality for millions of Palestinians. Even basic needs like tents are not being provided, with children having to sleep in contaminated water. Many thousands are already at risk of disease.
Does my hon. Friend agree that the UK Government and the international community cannot continue to look on as though the whole situation has been resolved? As the Government have, quite rightly, imposed widespread sanctions against Russia for its war crimes in Ukraine, they need to do the same against Israel for its war crimes and continued genocide in Gaza.
Irene Campbell
Some of what my hon. Friend has raised will be said later in this debate. As I said previously, it will be important to hear the Minister’s response to today’s debate.
Humanitarian aid reaching Gaza has been intermittent, starting and stopping repeatedly. Since the ceasefire, only a fraction of promised aid has actually reached Gaza. I agree with the conclusion of the UN independent international commission of inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel, which stated:
“Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.”
On 22 August 2025, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification confirmed that a famine is taking place in the Gaza governorate, and that more than half a million people face
“catastrophic conditions characterised by starvation, destitution and death.”
It also found that restricted access to humanitarian and commercial supplies of food and other essentials was a key driver of famine, saying:
“Since mid-March, access to both humanitarian and commercial supplies of food and other essential goods—including water, medicine, shelter and fuel—has remained critically restricted. A ‘tactical pause’ announced on 27 July failed to improve conditions as violence continued throughout the Strip—including airstrikes, shelling, and shooting.”