Gaza: Humanitarian Situation

Sonia Kumar Excerpts

Thursday 12th November 2026 Commons Chamber

[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.