Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment she has made of the (a) social, (b) economic and (c) humanitarian effects of the ongoing Israeli naval blockade on Gaza.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) assesses that the restrictions on access to fishing waters in Gaza is a key factor discouraging investment and perpetuating high levels of unemployment, food insecurity and aid dependency. The fishing industry is important for the social and economic wellbeing of Gaza and we want to see an increase in the fishing zone, in line with the limit of 20 nautical miles stipulated in the Oslo accords. The UK has consistently called on the Government of Israel to ease movement, including at sea, and will continue to do so.