Gaza Healthcare System

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Tuesday 24th February 2026 Westminster Hall

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

It is, as always, a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Jeremy. I thank the hon. Member for Stroud (Dr Opher) for setting the scene incredibly well, as he always does. He is making a reputation for himself in the House as someone who speaks up on important issues, and today he has done so again. I thank him for that, and for giving us an opportunity to participate in the debate.

It is, of course, a goal for all that all countries around the globe have access to healthcare. I am my party’s health spokesperson, so health is a big issue for me, whether it be here in the United Kingdom or elsewhere in the world. Also, as chair of the all-party parliamentary group for international freedom of religion or belief, I think it is very important to speak up for those in areas where persecution takes place and for those who have experienced human rights abuses. These issues are so important, and I want to represent that.

Delivery of healthcare in Gaza is so important—it is vital, as the hon. Gentleman outlined. Despite the acts of terror inflicted by Hamas, the children and the innocent people deserve better, and it is crucial that we recognise that. Today we can act collectively, and as individuals, throughout the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The hon. Member for Leicester South (Shockat Adam) and I often talk about these things. It grieves me greatly to see wee children suffering with the atrocities and things that happen to them. Pregnant women are deprived of basic medical supplies. Questions have to be asked. There is an urgent medical need. I know that the Minister and the Government will not be found wanting when it comes to doing their bit—I am convinced of that—but sometimes, collectively, we need to do things in conjunction with other countries worldwide.

To start with, there is a severe strain on Gaza’s healthcare system, especially for children, pregnant women and those with chronic illnesses. That is sometimes forgotten. Mental health, which was mentioned in an intervention, is another massive issue. In my constituency of Strangford we have two charities that help. One is Samaritan’s Purse, which is run by Gillian Gilliland, our local rep. It helps in Gaza and elsewhere around the world. Christian Aid is another organisation that is very much to the fore and active in getting money in Ards and Strangford, and also provides practical and physical help. Those organisations do their bit across Northern Ireland and respond in areas in need of humanitarian aid. When victims of war, poverty, disaster, disease and famine cry out, such organisations are often the first to answer.

[Christine Jardine (Edinburgh West) (LD)]

The hon. Gentleman makes a good point in this important debate. Does he agree that there is an overwhelming level of concern among constituents across the country about the restrictions on international aid organisations such as Christian Aid? There is a genuine concern that after the war, people will still suffer because of restricted access.

[Jim Shannon]

I am no different from anybody else; I hear the same points that the hon. Lady refers to. Everyone else in this room—and those who are not in this room—will have the same issues. I mentioned those two organisations because they are physically and practically active in the middle east and elsewhere. Repeated conflict will lead to limited access to medical supplies alongside the pressure on the hospital infrastructure. In addition, Hamas’s administration policies and ongoing issues complicate healthcare delivery and lead to a significant impact on its own people—residents on both sides of the Gaza strip, who are devastated and losing livelihoods because of the lack of available healthcare delivery.

[Dr Scott Arthur (Edinburgh South West) (Lab)]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for giving way under time pressure. He has mentioned Hamas twice. It is an absolutely awful organisation and I want to see the end of it, but he must accept that Netanyahu has some role to play in the crisis and has to take ownership of the problem as well.

[Jim Shannon]

The hon. Gentleman is right: everybody has a role to play in the problem. For the record, Israel is not perfect. I am not perfect and the hon. Gentleman is not perfect. We do things we should not do, and there is accountability and a process. I make that point, but I look back to where it started: Hamas started the thing. I have mentioned it specifically, but this is about the people who need help. That is why we are here. Let us focus on that.

[Andrew George]

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

[Jim Shannon]

I do not think I can; it would not be fair on Members who have not yet spoken.

Hamas’s control plays a huge part in the lack of healthcare provision, including the use of civilian areas for military purposes. That complicates the delivery of aid and protection of residential areas. To say that there are chronic systematic weaknesses is an understatement.

It is important to understand the context in which the challenges exist. Hamas’s control over Gaza, its embedding of military infrastructure within civilian areas, and its prioritisation of terror over public services have directly contributed to the chronic weaknesses in the healthcare system. Israel, meanwhile, continues to facilitate humanitarian aid and medical access where possible, working with international organisations to ensure that urgent care reaches those in need. That must be enhanced and further encouraged.

We must support the invaluable work of global and UK Northern Ireland charities providing medical supplies, clean water, and essential care to children and families, while also holding Hamas accountable for the governance failures that put healthcare workers and patients at risk. Compassion for civilians—I am a compassionate person when it comes to these issues; others are the same—and a commitment to security are not mutually exclusive. Both must guide our response to the crisis in Gaza.